The Wishing Well
by penniless1
Summary: Another well, another half-breed, another dimension. What will happen when an unnoticed old well leads two young persons to the Sengoku Jidai? Read to find out!
1. Prologue

Wishing Well

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or Dragon Ball Z. Even my pants are on loan. Don't sue me. 

Disclaimer: This is my first fic. Expect it to suck. Don't hurt me. 

Legend: "…" = speech

'…' = thought (usually)

~~~ = beginning/ending of flashback

It was complete. The Shikon no Tama rested gently against Kagome's collarbone, as she quietly contemplated just what the hell she wanted to do with her life.

They had, of course, thrown a party for her. Sango and Miroku hunted her out of her spot under the God Tree and hauled her into the village for the celebration. Shippou turned into various cuddly creatures in an attempt to impress his adopted mother, and the sake and food flowed freely. Everyone had been there. Well, almost everyone.

'That temperamental, juvenile, idiotic, clueless dog just couldn't stand me long enough to show up! I swear the next time I see him, I'll sit him till his back breaks! Then, and only then, will I take those prayer beads off of him.'

Kagome's angry features softened as her thoughts finally turned to Inuyasha. She turned her head towards the pristine sky above, vaguely aware of the twinkling stars. She quietly whispered her thoughts aloud to the uncaring North Star.

"Inuyasha, how can you expect me to let you kill yourself for a shadow of a woman? You mean too much to me. I can't just let you…let you…"

The image of Inuyasha in his human form, dead, escorted by the smiling form of Kikyou came crashing into her thoughts. Her sobs broke from her chest in huge gulps, her breath hitching in her throat.

"But if he were to live for you, where would you make him live?"

The voice drifted out of the darkness, catching Kagome by surprise. She twisted this way and that, straining to see who was intruding into her thoughts.

"I wouldn't make him live anywhere! He could stay here! This is his time!" Kagome responded loudly, stung to the core by the unexpected question.

"What about your _tests_ and your school? And your family? Are you willing to give up all of those things just to live with him?"

Kagome was shocked by the question, rocking back against the God Tree as she struggled to answer.

"I…I…"

"Answer now girl, can you?" The voice had grown hard and insistent, almost barking out the question.

Kagome gave the first answer that came out of her mouth, no longer thinking logically, submitting to her subconscious, "Yes!"

Her shout rebounded throughout the forest, echoing off of every tree, till it surrounded her.

'What? Live without Grandpa, and Souta, and Mama? What about school? Or a career?' her mind screamed, logic rushing back to the fore.

"They don't matter, nothing like that matters," she whispered to herself, her heart confident.

That was the moment Kikyou chose to enter the clearing.

"Then you deserve him," the undead miko calmly stated, her face as expressionless as ever.

Inuyasha was experiencing an emotion that he had fervently hoped to never feel again. He was feeling alone.

He had set off running the moment Miroku had called him to the party, fleeing into the surrounding wilderness with no care where he went, as long as Kagome wasn't there.

He knew what she would do now; he knew she would be deliriously happy to return to _her time_, to never see _that idiot hanyou_ again. She would return to her _tests_ and forget about him, about all of them.

Inuyasha didn't need to see her joy, or her relief. Because he knew that without Kagome, his life would be hell. Which was the reason why he would join Kikyou. If the remainder of his life was going to **be** hell, he might as well be **in** hell for it.

'Feh. Kikyou would love that.'

Inuyasha had stopped running some time ago, and hopped into a nearby tree.

Kami only knew how badly he wanted her. He had loved her for some time now, and he had finally admitted to himself that it had nothing to do with her resemblance to Kikyou. Her scent was totally different, she was much more…accessible. So much more human. That very humanity was the only thing that kept his youkai blood under control at times.

Of course, there were the times she unwittingly flared his youkai blood. Like when she showed her courage. Or when she made him sit so she could clean his wounds. And those touches…

Inuyasha grunted uncomfortably as he repositioned his erection. Again. His mind turned uncomfortably to the thought of Kagome's absence from his life.

'I would do anything for her. Dammit I **have** done damn near anything for her. But she doesn't love me. She never will. Who could love a half-breed?'

Inuyasha idly fingered the cursed prayer beads around his neck, fingering each bead tenderly.

"Kagome…why can't you see how much I love you?" he asked the North Star. He already knew the answer though.

'Because you can't take her rejection. Coward.'

Inuyasha snarled loudly, smashing a hand into the tree, which toppled as he jumped to the ground and set off racing, trying vainly to outrace his thoughts and his tears.

Kikyou approached a wary Kagome. The undead miko had come to realize the futility of Inuyasha coming to hell with her. She was tired of her existence, nothing more than a doll brought to a shambling, corrupted version of life. And she already knew that Inuyasha's death would not relieve her anguish.

"Why would you let him live?" Kagome inquired cautiously. None of her experiences with Kikyou had ever been good, and she didn't want to be caught off guard, no matter how curious she was.

Kikyou shrugged gently, "I have Naraku to torture eternally. I will never tire of that."

Kikyou stroked Kagome's cheek once, feeling life for the last time. She abruptly turned and walked back towards the dark forest.

"Search for him. Don't let him go." Those were the last words Kagome heard as the undead woman disappeared into the forest, crumbling as she went. 

"Dammit, Gohan, I'm not a doll, so hit me!!"

"But Videl…."

"Hit me!"

Videl was not amused. Every since she'd started training with Gohan, he'd started treating her more and more like some fragile flower, too delicate to take a bruising. And that whole attitude was making her sick.

Especially since Videl wanted nothing more than to have Gohan hold her in a bruising embrace, crushing his lips against hers like a starving man, sucking her into his heat and passion…

'Where the hell did that come from?! Girl, you need to calm down and concentrate on training with him, not fucking him senseless. Although…ACK NONONO STOP!' Videl shook her head twice, gently jostling her shortened tresses.

Gohan was far from amused. Every since he'd agreed…or, better put, was blackmailed into training Videl, he'd been forced to touch her. And he was sure that she was blatantly unaware of what touching her did to him. He was eternally grateful to his father for the advice he'd given him on training attire.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Flashback ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"So, you got tricked into training Satan's daughter."

"Please don't remind me, Dad."

"Hn. Like father, like son."

"Shut it, Vegeta!"

"Guess we need to get you some looser training gear."

"What's wrong with my stuff?"

Vegeta took a sidelong glance at the older Son son, with his characteristic smirk on his face. As if that wasn't disturbing enough, Goku also took a sidelong glance at his older son, with an **uncharacteristic** smirk on his face.

Goku, still smirking, turned back to his push-ups and asked, "Did anyone tell you about the battle between me and your mother at the Tournament?"

Gohan, still clueless, played right along, "Gee, no, why?"

Goku chuckled evilly, semi-lost in his own memories, "The sight of a beautiful raven-haired woman, with the mouth of a sailor and the attitude to match, crouched into a fighting stance…if your Saiyan blood let's you get through more than three training sessions, I'll let Vegeta beat me in sparring for a whole week."

Vegeta, who was also semi-lost in his own memories, perked up at this. "Hn. Your brat is too human, so I'll take that bet. Now, you weaklings, get the fuck out of my gravity trainer, and go shopping."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Flashback ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'Damn my father and Vegeta. Kami, I wish they could be wrong every once in a while.'

The sight of Videl in any fighting stance brought him to the brink of humanity time and again, but the discipline he'd learned from his studies helped him to keep his cool. He'd lasted past ten training sessions. Of course, the sight of his father being beaten to a pulp by Vegeta for one whole week was added incentive.

Gohan was snapped back to reality by a roundhouse kick. Not that it hurt, but his instincts kicked in, and the head punch shot out almost before he remembered whom he was fighting. Luckily, he was able to modify the power and direction of the punch. Unfortunately, there was only so much he could do before it clipped her cheek.

To say the least, Videl still went sailing.

Furthermore, the power of the blow had knocked her out.

Gohan cursed fluently as he shot off after her, quickly grabbing her unconscious form and twisting so that his back was towards the rapidly approaching ground. Only then did he give himself permission to enjoy the position.

'Kami, how does she stay so soft and smooth when she trains every day? She's so tiny; I can't believe the power in her body. And her scent…oh Kami her scent!' Gohan buried his nose into her hair, drowning in the smell of Videl. His erection, which he had sported on and off for the past ten weeks, violently flared to life, as his Saiyan blood hammered through his veins, urging him on.

That's probably why he never realized that they had landed at the bottom of an old well.

Gohan remained in that position for many minutes, so beguiled by her scent that he hadn't noticed that she had regained conscious. And Videl wasn't going to tell him. She was enjoying this proximity too much, the heat of his presence surrounding her.

Unfortunately, she realized that the sky had completely darkened to night. She needed to get home, before her dad threw a fit. Again.

"Mmmm. Gohan?"

Gohan heard the muffled question, and flushed a brilliant red. What sort of pervert was he, enjoying the feel and scent of Videl's body while she was unconscious? He swiftly got to his feet, unwillingly placed Videl onto her own two, and pushed her gently away.

"I warned you about my strength, Videl, " he joked lamely.

"Yeah, I'll remember that next time," she conceded, rubbing her cheek where he'd hit her. She would **definitely** have a bruise in the morning.

Remembering the time, Videl looked around.

"Hey Gohan, where are we?"

Gohan scanned the surroundings, searching for familiar ki as he did so. He frowned, answering Videl's question as he searched again for the two ki's most familiar to him, his father's and Piccolo's.

"Looks like we're in an old well. Can you fly up or do you need help?"

"I'm fine, Gohan, like I said, I'm not a doll. Come on, I've gotta get home soon."

Videl started flying to the top, but was unexpectedly pulled back to the bottom.

Gohan turned to her, his serious eyes covering the vast confusion and rising panic he was beginning to feel.

"Videl, I can't sense anyone."

"Gohan, of course not, we were training in the forest, who could be nearby…"

"No, Videl, I mean I can't feel **anyone**."


	2. Introductions

Wishing Well

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or Dragon Ball Z. Even my pants are on loan. Don't sue me.

Disclaimer: This is my first fic. Expect it to suck. Don't hurt me.

Legend: "…" = speech

'…' = thought

~~~ = beginning/ending of flashback

Gohan had ordered Videl to stay in the well until he had scouted the area. He was pretty sure she would disobey him within the next 15 minutes, so he made sure to scout the area as quickly as possible.

The well was located on the eastern side of a small clearing in the forest. The forest itself didn't look any different from before, but it felt younger, more savage. The sun had sunk low to the west, and Gohan could not detect any ki nearby.

Which probably explains how Inuyasha managed to run headlong into him.

Gohan's keen eyes had caught a brief glance of a red blur before it connected solidly into his side. Dog demon and Saiyan half-breeds went flying across the glade, until a tree kindly stopped their passage.

Inuyasha felt like he'd hit a mountainside. He unraveled himself from the tree that he'd managed to smack into face first and stumbled back, shaking his head. He peered intently at the spot he'd just vacated as his vision came back into focus.

"What the **fuck** did I just hit?" he muttered aloud, his vision cloudy around the edges.

Gohan wasn't in a better position. His right side had melded itself into the tree, and his left side felt like Dodoria had just run into it. This lead to a general sensation of having been crushed, and his ears were still ringing from the collision. He slowly picked himself out of the tree, unaware of the fact that he was the only thing holding it up at the moment. He ignored the tree as it crashed into the surrounding forest.

"Anyone get the number of that space pod?" Gohan asked no one in particular as he rubbed and popped his right shoulder into a normal position. His cloudy vision scanned the clearing until it landed on a red and silver-white blob in front of him.

"What the **fuck **just hit me?" he muttered, as his vision cleared.

Kagome may have been in shock, but she wasn't one to look a gift horse in the mouth. Ten minutes after Kikyou's declaration, she raced back to the village, waking up the partygoers in Kaede's hut.

"Has anyone seen Inuyasha today?" she gasped, trying to catch her breath.

Miroku got up groggily, his sake-induced headache pounding through his head. He smacked his lips twice and responded, "The fool went scampering off to the east after I called him to the party. Haven't seen him since."

Kagome looked over towards Kirara, who was cuddled up next to Shippou in between Sango and Miroku.

"Kirara, can you let me ride you so I can catch up with him?"

"Mrow," the cat-like creature answered as it bounded outside. By the time Kagome, Sango, Miroku, Shippou, and Kaede left the hut, Kirara was lying on the ground in her large form.

"Do you need us to come with you?" Sango asked, concern etched on her face.

Kagome climbed onto Kirara's back then turned to Sango, "Uhm, no, thank you, but this is…kinda personal."

With a delicate sniff to the east, Kirara found Inuyasha's scent, and flew off into the night.

Videl was very sick and very tired of waiting in the well. Gohan had been gone for ten minutes, long enough for Videl. She gathered her ki and flew up to the top of the well.

She was not prepared for the sight in front of her.

Gohan looked like he'd been flattened by the world's largest fly swatter, and he was stumbling towards the well. Whatever the thing dressed in red was, it didn't look much better, and it was growling its annoyance.

Videl put two and two together, and jumped in front of Gohan.

"Leave him alone!" she shouted, dropping into an attacking stance.

Inuyasha was too confused to care about the human female in front of him. He was staring at Gohan like he had just hit a ghost, his nose flaring wildly as he took in the demi-Saiyan's scent.

'Another hanyou? But how?!' Inuyasha's mind raced as it tried to process the information his nose and eyes were sending.

Gohan, realizing that his ability to sense ki was faulty at the moment, turned to his Saiyan instincts to gather information about his currently predicament. His nose flared as quickly as Inuyasha's in an attempt to figure out just** where** he was and **what** just crash-landed into him.

'A…half-breed? Part human, part…dog? **What** is going on here?' Gohan's mind whirred madly until it focused sharply on Videl's presence and potential danger.

In the meantime, Videl had wasted no time appraising her potential opponent. He was wearing a red haori with matching hakama, and he had…white dog-ears on his head?! Videl shook her head twice, and checked again. When the image of the ears persisted, she turned back towards Gohan, confusion plastered across her face.

That was when she screamed.

Gohan, who had been quite absorbed in the generalized pain of the collision, had failed to notice the fact that his tail had somehow grown back. He was still stumbling, unaware of his body's attempt to balance with the new appendage. By the time he had recovered, his tail had automatically wrapped itself around his waist, looking like nothing more than a furry belt. Videl's shriek reached his still ringing ears, and he jumped to catch her and drag her away from danger. Or rather, his tail did.

Inuyasha jumped back as the tail shot out, and landed in a crouch.

"Just what the fuck are you, and how the fuck did you get here?" he barked out, hiding his confusion with anger and arrogance.

"I could ask you the same things, especially since you slammed into me!" Gohan retorted as his attention was divided between Videl and Inuyasha.

"Feh." Inuyasha fell back to his reliable response, as he straightened up to his full height. "Get your bitch to stop her howling and then we'll talk."

 Kagome vaguely heard Inuyasha's voice as Kirara flew her over an unknown part of the eastern forest.

"Please set me down nearby, Kirara, then you can go back to the village."

"Mrow."

Almost as soon as Kirara touched the ground, Kagome raced towards the sound of Inuyasha's voice. She heard another male voice then a woman's shriek, and increased her speed. She ignored the branches that tore at her skirt as she ran into the clearing where she heard the voices.

The sight before her drew her up in a screeching halt.

It wasn't the fact that Inuyasha was there. It was the other person, the perfectly human-looking male, with the tanned skin of an outdoorsman, and a modern short hair cut.

And, of course, the brown monkey tail that was tightly wrapped around the form of modern-looking, tomboyish girl.

For some strange reason, Kagome's brain refused to process the information her eyes were sending. It seemed that the possibility of someone even remotely like Inuyasha disturbed her mind greatly, and it would not accept that data. In fact, it was so adamant in its refusal of what she was seeing that it wanted desperately to shutdown.

Inuyasha whipped his head around to face Kagome as he recognized her scent enter the glade. He watched her scan the newcomers, and then swore fluently as he saw her eyes roll into the back of her head. He leapt towards her and caught her before she could hit the ground. Even though she quickly recovered, Inuyasha was not ready to let her go.

Videl had stopped shrieking by this time, and she watched wide-eyed as the … dog-boy, tended to the female who had just come crashing into the clearing. She and Kagome's eyes locked, and both calmed at the sight of a normal human.

Kagome pried herself away from Inuyasha as Videl unraveled Gohan's tail from around her waist. Both males growled warnings as the females cautiously approached each other.

Kagome made the first move.

"Hi! My name is Kagome. That rude person over there in red is Inuyasha." Inuyasha glared daggers at Kagome's back, and turned to sit on the forest floor with a muffled "Feh."

"Well hi! My name is Videl, and that's Gohan." 'I think.' Gohan gave his classic Son grin, sheepishly rubbing the back of his head.

"Forgive my rudeness, but you both look too … modern to be here."

"Well, we don't even know where here is. There was a slight accident and we somehow ended up at the bottom of that well over there."

"Kya!! Not another well!" Inuyasha didn't move, but his ears twisted towards Kagome's voice.

"Another well? What's that supposed to mean?"

"It's a very long story. I think you should come back to our village and talk to Kaede. She knows a lot of stuff, so she could probably help you get home."

"Sounds good. Lead the way!"

Kagome liked this girl. She had a bold spirit that wasn't fazed by much. She also looked to be a competent fighter, like Sango. That thought made her giggle slightly. She hoped Miroku would behave, or he would be sporting two lumps every hour. Kagome turned her attention to Inuyasha, who now stood glowering at the newcomers.

"Inuyasha, I think it would be best if you give me a ride to the village please." Kagome's voice came out as a reedy whisper as she tried to keep her emotions under control.

Inuyasha tried not to let Kagome's voice affect him. She couldn't even ask him for a ride in her normal voice.

'She hates me that much.' His mind pounded the mantra into his heart, making him want to run away, anywhere but near Kagome.

"Feh. Get up." He turned his attention to Gohan. "You, can you run fast, or fly?"

Gohan nodded. "Both."

"Good. You and your bitch follow me back to the village. I'll try not to lose you." Inuyasha face contorted into his usual smirk at the thought of any non-youkai being able to match his speed.

Gohan set his face in a frown. This was like dealing with an immature version of Vegeta. He turned his attention to Videl, who was busy staring at a twitching furry vine that seemed to be attached to his back and wrapped around her thigh …

"When the hell did that grow back?!" he squeaked, scrutinizing the furry appendage that he hadn't seen since his youth.

Videl tore her gaze from the tail, and glared up at Gohan. "Grow back? You mean you used to have a tail?"

Gohan gulped nervously. 'Shit shit shit shit shit. She wasn't supposed to find out about my past. Not what I am, or who really defeated Cell, or anything!'

Videl saw the nervous thoughts flying across Gohan's face. She coolly studied him, and then grabbed his hand. "We'll talk later, Gohan. For now, let's just follow those two to their village. I think you should carry me, because I have a feeling I won't be able to keep up with you and Inuyasha once you two get started."

Gohan gulped nervously. Again. Carry Videl? How was he supposed to do that without being affected by her? He watched Inuyasha lift Kagome onto his back, noting the slightly wild look that briefly flitted across his face as Kagome adjusted herself. Except for that one look, Inuyasha remained impassive. That might be the answer.

"Ok Videl, jump on my back. I think you've earned a piggy back ride," he chuckled to Videl. 'In that position I'll be in less trouble. And she won't be able to notice anything.'

Inuyasha tried to breathe shallowly, anything to stop himself from drowning in Kagome's scent. When she was finally comfortable, he caught her under her knees and turned to the newcomers.

"Oi! Are you two ready yet?"

The wild glint in Gohan's eyes mirrored Inuyasha's as Videl settled onto his back. Gohan had just grabbed Videl under her thighs and he was starting to sweat profusely. None of this escaped the demi-demon, and he stored this information away in case he needed it later.

"Ready!" Gohan answered, as he rose into the air with Videl.

The two half-breeds shot off into the night, one bounding through the trees, the other zooming overhead.


	3. Explanations 1

Wishing Well

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or Dragon Ball Z. Even my pants are on loan. Don't sue me.

Disclaimer: This is my first fic. Expect it to suck. Don't hurt me.

Legend: "…" = speech

'…' = thought

~~~ = beginning/ending of flashback

Inuyasha was having a hard time concentrating. He was supposed to be leading them back to the village, but Kagome's proximity kept short-circuiting his thought processes. It didn't help when she insisted on shifting against his back, which would cause her soft flesh to rub delicately along his claws. Her bosom was pressed against the muscular planes of his back, and it took an unbelievable amount of self-control to keep running.

'She hates you remember? You're just a beast of burden, a guard dog. Nothing more,' Inuyasha's mind assured him adamantly.

'Oh really, then what's that growing wet spot on your lower back? And that heavy scent right above you?'

Inuyasha screeched to a halt. His sensitive nose acquired the scent of arousal, but not just anyone's arousal. Kagome was positively dripping lust.

'Feh. She's probably horny for that newcomer. He's human enough if you forget that tail. He even looks like he comes from the same time,' his mind argued.

'Feh. You're as stupid as you look if you believe that. Because that would mean that she does like half-breeds. Which would mean that I'm still right, and you're still throwing away your chances with her,' his heart retorted smugly.

"Shut the fuck up you two," Inuyasha growled, shaking his head in an attempt to clear away the distracting thoughts.

Overhead, Gohan came to a halt. "We weren't talking!" Gohan snarled, his own mind and heart in a noisy discussion.

'Tell her! She will accept you for what you are,' Gohan's heart was badgering him to tell Videl all about his past.

'Of course. You're the half-human, half-alien son of the world's greatest fighter, Goku, who just happens to be an alien. You, your father, and various others have come together to save the Earth time and again under the name, the Z senshi. You are the true winner of the Cell games, even though you would have been ten years old at the time. Oh yes, she's really gonna believe all of that,' his mind snapped angrily.

'She just saw your tail, and she's still drenching your gi. I think you have a great chance,' his heart contended.

"Let's just get this over with," Gohan sighed, tired of his mind and heart bickering. If only Videl would stop emitting that damn lustful aroma. And would she stop moving and grazing his tail!

Inuyasha ground out a sharp "Feh" as he turned and bounded off again.

Videl was almost in heaven. She was pressed tightly against Gohan's back, her chest molding itself to his muscular curves. His hands had her thighs in a reassuringly tight grip, and his ki flared around them, keeping her warm. Heat swirled and pooled in her lower abdomen, causing a most embarrassing wetness in the apex of her thighs. That area ached and itched, longing to rub itself against Gohan, and she tried to subtly fulfill those urges. She subtly arched her back as if she were stretching, pressing her womanhood against the strong muscles at the base of his tail.

Gohan almost dropped out of the sky as the sensation raced through his body. His tail snapped up to wrap tightly around Videl's right thigh, locking her into her current position. The tip of his tail brushed eagerly against her dampness. Gohan's lustful growl vibrated throughout his body, causing his tail to brush violently against Videl's core.

'Control, control, Gohan!' he mentally muttered as he pried his tail off of Videl. "Sorry about that, Videl, my tail kinda has a mind of its own sometimes," he grinned sheepishly. 'It wants to fuck you as much as I do … ACK stop that!'

Videl smirked quietly into his back, 'You can't hide from me, Gohan. I'll find out all of your secrets soon enough.'

Kagome was dying. Each time Inuyasha's muscles flexed beneath her, her body wound tighter and tighter, coiling in to a point in her lower abdomen. She could feel herself growing damp, and it was all she could do not to jump every time Inuyasha's claws grazed the back of her knees. She was so intent on the sensations between her thighs that she never noticed her left hand straying towards his left ear, gently stroking the base and outer ridge.

Inuyasha's purr started from low in his chest, growing until it rumbled through both of them. The vibrations twisted Kagome's body into an even tighter spiral of desire.

"Stop that!" Inuyasha snapped, as he twisted his ear out of her reach. 'Bitch,do you know how close I am to throwing you onto the ground and … FEH!'

Kagome withdrew her hand slowly, willing away the tears. 'He may hate me, but I can't let him go without telling him how I feel!'

The two couples continued onto the village in silence.

A short time later, Gohan and Videl sat in the center of a small hut, having told their story to an old woman named Kaede, a monk who Gohan swore was even more lecherous than Master Roshi, and a demon hunter with the most oversized boomerang Videl had ever seen. Inuyasha distanced himself from everyone else by sitting in the doorway while Kagome absentmindedly tickled Shippou, intent on her own thoughts.

"This is most interesting," Miroku pondered aloud, "I would have thought that Kagome and Inuyasha were the only ones able to travel freely through wells, and even then they are only capable of doing so when the Shikon no Tama is present."

Videl warily watched the monk's hand as it twitched, the monk obviously unable to keep it from groping her. Again. Sango's boomerang swiftly dropped onto the monk's head, saving Videl the trouble of pounding it in. Videl returned to the conversation as Kaede asked Gohan a question.

"Answer me this, Gohan. Was there to be a full moon in your time?"

Gohan thought carefully, then shook his head, "I don't really know Kaede-sama. You see, the moon was destroyed in my dimension many years ago." 'But my every instinct tells me that there will be a full moon within the next few days. And now, with my tail back … '  Gohan stared blankly at the floor.

Kaede narrowed her eyes, carefully gauging Gohan's reaction to her next question, "Has your world ever had any problems with saruyoukai? Giant monkeys?"

Gohan fervently wished that the floor would open up and swallow him. He managed to keep his gaze in the general direction of the nosy old woman's face as he replied, "I have never heard of anything of the sort. Why?"

Inuyasha sniffed loudly as he smelt the fear in Gohan's aura. "You're lying half-breed," he uttered sharply. Everyone in the room focused their attention on the growling hanyou and the cowering newcomer.

Videl watched as anger and fear scampered across Gohan's face. She knew that Gohan was lying. "Gohan, doesn't your family live near where they say a giant ape monster once roamed? And that well wasn't really far from your house. Besides, the annual Full Moon Madness celebration was going to take place in 3 days. That's the celebration we hold every year to commemorate the last time the moon was ever seen," she explained to the audience in the hut.

Gohan really wished that he wasn't so in love with Videl. He really wanted to snap her neck.

Inuyasha was suddenly in Gohan's face. The fear he felt rolling off of Gohan was similar to the fear he oozed every time the New Moon appeared. He grudgingly admitted that he felt a sense of kinship with this new _hanyou_.

"Just talk. It's not like any of us won't believe you." After all that Inuyasha and the others had seen in the past two years, he was sure that nothing could faze him.

Gohan suddenly felt tired. He'd been keeping the secret for so long, and in two seconds, a half-breed, supposedly like him, had found out that he was lying. If Videl glared any harder at him, he'd probably have a hole in the back of his head. And at the moment, he just didn't care.

So he talked. And talked. And talked.

He started with his father's adventures, running through the arrival of his uncle and then Nappa and Vegeta. He vividly recalled the events on Namek, and the arrival of the androids. He stuttered through the Cell Games, refusing to meet the shocked look on Videl's face as he detailed his father's death and the final defeat of Cell by his hands. He talked till the sky lightened to the grey-blue of dawn.

Inuyasha wished he'd shut up.

'What the hell is with this hanyou? Aliens? Planets? Dragonballs? And the girl looks like it's the first time she's hearing these things. I thought we were doing strange things!'

If Inuyasha was stunned, Videl was totally flattened.

'Kami! Or is it Dende? I mean, whatever! If Gohan is telling the truth, he's the great Son Goku's son! And all of the Son and Briefs males are gold warriors! And all of the gold warriors are aliens! Or at least part-aliens. But Dad says that they're just fakes…but Gohan says **he** destroyed Cell! If he did, why didn't he and the Z senshi challenge my dad? Argh, I don't know what to believe!'

Kaede sat through the whole story, nodding as if she understood everything.

"Your stories about your father allow me to understand something that happened many many years ago.

On a full moon night, a giant ape youkai, an Oozaru, as you call it, came from that same glade where the well is situated. It raged in that forest for the entire night, destroying many trees. It was two steps away from the village when dawn broke. As the sun cleared the sky, the beast began to shrink. By the time I and the other warriors reached the area, nothing was there but a naked, sleeping child."

Gohan really didn't like where this conversation was going.

"The child was unremarkable except for three visible things: his hair, which shot off in all directions and could not be tamed by any comb," Gohan was slowly turning a deep shade of red that no one save Inuyasha saw.

"A monkey tail that seemed to be extremely sensitive," death by Frieza would have been preferable to the way Videl was now looking at the demi-Saiyan.

"And teeth that were much larger than any normal child's own."

Gohan mentally recited every curse he had ever learned from Krillin, Piccolo, and Vegeta as images of chibi Goku danced in his head. **Why**, oh **why**, did his father have so many adventures in his youth? Couldn't he stay still as a brat? Kaede continued, oblivious to the boy's discomfort.

"We realized him to be a youkai child, but he was like Shippou, very cute and naive. We took care of him after he woke up, and he helped clear the damage with his inhuman strength, although his appetite nearly cost us that year's harvest. On the evening of the next full moon, I blindfolded him, because I suspected that the moon triggered his youkai transformation. He seemed too young to control his powers yet, and the village could not afford another disaster. The day after that, he left to go play in the clearing he emerged from, but he never returned. I believe this is your father, Goku?"

Gohan nodded wearily.

"Sounds like my dad. He did a lot of wandering before he met Bulma."

Sango came out of her deep reverie, snapping her fingers as she pried the monk's hand off her hip with her weapon.

"Of course! The well you came through is a fabled _Time Well_. It is said that these wells only work at certain times of the month, or year, to open doors into new worlds from this side. You are fortunate that the well you came through works every month!"

Videl liked this girl's enthusiasm, and the way she managed to clobber the monk before his hands could roam, "So that means Gohan and I can go home in 4 days!"

Kaede nodded sagely. "Yes, as it seems that time flows the same way in your world and ours. Now, with that settled, I would like to offer you and your companion lodgings in a hut at the end of the village …"

Gohan swore that everyone could read his terror-stricken eyes. 'Me, and Videl, alone, in a hut, for three days!' Before Videl could agree, he spoke out.

"That is not necessary, Kaede-sama. I can sleep just fine in a nearby tree, or something. I prefer the forest to a building any day. I can't sleep around so many snoring people," Gohan apologized profusely.

Inuyasha shot a brief,humorous gaze at Gohan before he turned away to stand up.

"Feh. We can share the God Tree then, and let the bitches share the room." He pointed out Kagome and Videl with his chin.

Kagome had to grind her teeth to stop herself from sitting the arrogant dog demon till his neck snapped. As it was, she couldn't stop the five she snapped out before turning to the others in the hut.

"As amazing as it sounds, I actually agree with you Inuyasha. If you don't mind Videl?"

"It's not a problem for me. Lead me to it, before I fall asleep on my feet," Videl replied as she stood yawning and swaying.

Kagome grabbed Videl's hand and calmly stepped over the semi-comatose form of Inuyasha in the doorway.

"Since you're from a more modern time, I'll finally have someone to complain with about the lack of a good blow-dryer!"

Giggles marked the passage of the young bitches … women, as they went through the village to the guest hut.

"Bitch …" came out as an unearthly groan as Inuyasha crawled to his feet. Gohan tried to assist him, despite the huge sweat drop currently covering the left side of his head.

"Uhm, how about we go to this God Tree," Gohan suggested, mischief slowly creeping into his voice. "I'll race ya!"

Inuyasha's ears perked at the thought of a race, but his face remained impassive as he replied.

"Only if you keep your feet on the ground. No racing on top or over the trees."

"A footrace, huh? No problem, you're on!"

"The tree is straight over there," Inuyasha said as he pointed to the God Tree that towered over all the others, "Ready … HEY YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO WAIT TILL I SAY GO!!!"

Inuyasha shot after the dark blue blur that was Gohan, muttering all the way about _damn cheating strangers_.


	4. Explanations 2

Wishing Well

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or Dragon Ball Z. Even my pants are on loan. Don't sue me.

Disclaimer: This is my first fic. Expect it to suck. Don't hurt me.

Legend: "…" = speech

'…' = thought

~~~ = beginning/ending of flashback

Kaede made sure the half-breeds were well out of earshot before speaking again.

"It is strange to find a half-breed from the future. And the girl does not seem to be fully human. Miroku, I want you to keep an eye on him. Sango, try to learn more about Videl."

"Kaede-sama, do you think that they could be after the Shikon no Tama?"

"I do not think so Miroku, considering the power of the Dragonballs that Gohan talked about. However, we cannot afford to be lazy now that the jewel is whole once more."

Sango fended off the monk's hands one more time before grabbing her gear.

"Of course, Kaede-sama," she agreed, before glaring daggers at the seemingly innocent monk. "I think it is better that I spend the rest of the night with the girls. I feel **much** safer with them," she declared as she stalked off to the guest hut, muttering about _hentai, ecchi houshi_.

Miroku maintained his innocent façade until Sango had left. Then he quietly picked up his belongings and sauntered off in the direction of the God Tree, muttering curses against _hanyous and women._

Krillin and Piccolo landed in the clearing where they last felt Gohan's ki. Goku and Vegeta were already there, examining an old well.

"This is where your brat's ki was last," Vegeta stated, peering down the well's depth.

"But how could a well cause Gohan to disappear? What sort of trap is it?" Krillin asked, not exactly thrilled to find **anything** capable of making Gohan disappear.

"There's an aura around this well," Piccolo said as he approached it. "It's like quicksand, sucking you in if you get too close."

Goku stood apart from the others, trying to understand the memories that flashed before him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Flashback ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Kaede-sama! Kaede-sama! Look at what me and Tail can do!" A chibi Goku hung from the God Tree by his tail, then swung through a number of acrobatic feats using all five of his limbs before landing in from of Kaede.

"Hmph, that's very good, but don't you think you should find another tree to play in?" Kaede's eye drifted pointedly to the still figure of Inuyasha, sealed to the tree. Vines had already started to grow around him.

"Uh-uh, Kaede-sama, I like this Tree, with Inuyasha. I think he watches me play, and I see him smile sometimes!"

"Very well, Goku, but I have to go back to the village. Come back inside before nightfall."

"Ok, Kaede-sama!"

Goku turned back to the tree, where Inuyasha rested peacefully.

'You feel kinda like me! Except you have doggy ears while I have a tail. Oh well, I still like you!'

He gave Inuyasha a quick pat on the head before scampering up the God Tree.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Flashback ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"BAKAYAROU!!!!!!!" Vegeta snarled, trying for the upteenth time to get Goku's attention.

"Who? What? Huh?" Goku snapped back to the present.

"We've been **calling** you for the past 10 minutes while you were off in La-La Land!" Vegeta was beginning to wonder if the Earth-Saiyan even cared about his son.

Goku looked back at the well, then laughed uproariously.

Piccolo put a restraining hand on Vegeta, and willed away his sudden headache to confront Goku. Before he could even say a word, said Saiyan held up a hand to stop him.

"I know where this well goes."

Three eyebrows arched up into the air.

"It's a door to the past. Back in time to the days of the Warring States."

The eyebrows went up a little higher.

"And how, pray tell, my dearest, oldest buddy, do you know this?" Krillen said smoothly. Only the large vein throbbing over his left eye marred his expression.

"'Cause I've gone there before."

The clearing was suddenly filled with the sound of three violent facevaults.

"Don't worry about Gohan, he's safe. He'll be back in about four days, after the full moon is gone."

The clearing was suddenly filled with the sound of three violent facevaults. Again.

Unfortunately, Chi Chi, Bulma, and 18 had arrived by then. Krillin smacked his forehead, muttering about wives unable to keep a secret.

"FOUR DAYS!!!! GOKU, YOU GET MY SON BACK HERE RIGHT NOW!" Chi Chi shrieked, her eyes bleeding slowly to red.

Goku shrugged.

"Sure, if you're eager to see youkai."

Chi Chi's eyes started to glow. In the meantime, Piccolo cautiously jumped into the well.

"Which is what most of us here would be considered as."

Chi Chi's face turned red. Ox horns started to grow from her head. Bulma suddenly had a throbbing headache, which pulsed along with the veins popping out on her forehead. 18 merely huffed.

"And me and the boys here can't go, unless you want us to be swarmed by teenage girls. Remember, this was a period of time when girls got married as young as 14 years old. Monks and princes were especially popular."

Evil gleams had filled Vegeta and Krillin's eyes, as both of them inched closer to the well.

The skirmish was brief. As the dust cleared, Vegeta, Krillin, and Goku sat on the ground with large lumps on their heads. Chi Chi was climbing on to Goku's back while threatening him with her frying pan; Bulma was already on Vegeta's back and trying to stuff a large wrench in a capsule. 18 found it better to throw Krillin over her shoulder.

"We can't go anyway. The well is sealed. I tried just now." Piccolo uttered, while meditating next to a nearby tree.

Krillin jumped down from 18's shoulder, and asked the most important question.

"So, whose gonna go tell Hercule his daughter just ran off with the real winner of the Cell games, for four days no less?"

Images of Hercule's chagrin as they blackmailed him with this information flashed through everyone's head. Squabbling soon broke out, with Chi Chi screeching the hardest for a chance to go ruin Hercule's life.

"In a situation like this, I think we should employ democratic methods of choosing," Krillin said, as he calmly silenced everyone.

Two hours later:

"ROCK, PAPER, SCISSORS!"

"Shit!"

"Krillin, watch your mouth."

"But 18, why'd she hafta win?"

"'Cause I'm his mother!"

"By the way, where are the brats?"

"They're called **children** and they're with my mother!"

"Hn."

"Do you think we should mention the lack of bathrooms and the conditions Videl will be living in? Huh, Vegeta?"

"Kakkarotto that would be evil!" 'I wish I'd thought of it myself!'

"No, evil is when I tell him what most Saiyan males do during a full moon, especially when they're with a girl they want."

"…"

"…"

"Kakkarotto, I hail you as a true Saiyan."

"Oh finally, I'm gonna have grandchildren!"

"Aw, thanks. Come on guys, let's drop Chi Chi off!"

Gohan and Inuyasha padded through the forest, moving in almost absolute silence.

Gohan felt his Saiyan blood rise to the fore, his instincts enjoying the wind in his face and the feel of his muscles moving to his will. It helped to be playing with his new pack mate, even though he missed the other members of his pack …

'Pack mate! Next thing you know, I'll be calling Videl my bitch, and openly ravishing her … Mmmm.'

Inuyasha was enjoying the race. It wasn't an everyday occurrence to meet a born hanyou. And this one smelt powerful. Gohan was easing that lonely feeling he got every time he thought of Kagome. Not by much, but it was a start.

By this time, the half-breeds had made it to the God Tree, and had chosen their branches to sleep on. Oddly enough, the branches they chose put them back-to-back, separated only by the solid trunk of the God Tree.

Gohan's sleepy mind turned to the events in the hut. His secret was out, and Videl now knew the truth. He had just told her that her father was a weak fake, that the mighty Son Goku was an alien, that Bulma Briefs was married to an alien prince named Vegeta…he had turned her world completely upside-down.

'I can't imagine how confused she is right now. My family and friends must disgust her. She'll probably hate me for trying to say that her father is a fraud, even if it is true. I've blown any chance I ever had with her.'

Gohan sighed wearily as his thoughts continued to depress him.

"Hey, Inuyasha?"

The inu hanyou was wrapped up in his own thoughts, and wasn't eager to talk.

"Hn."

"How did you get Kagome, Miroku, and Sango to stay with you during all your adventures?"

"NANI?!"

"Well, I mean, I would've thought any other human would be disgusted by a hanyou. I mean I can't imagine many humans liking us."

"Hn, it's true that plenty of humans hate us, but Kagome, Miroku, and Sango are special. They're better than most humans."

"I wish I knew if Videl was better than most humans," Gohan whispered to himself, forgetting the sensitivity of Inuyasha's ears.

"Feh. You really want her, don't you?"

"NANI?! How could you…what gave you that idea?"

"Heheheh, I saw how you reacted when she climbed on your back. You were two steps from jumping her."

"Oh like you're one to talk dog-breath! I saw how wild you got when Kagome was settling in on your back!"

"Dog-breath?! Oi, monkey-face, lemme tell you something…"

"Let's see a monkey do this!"

By this time, both half-breeds were on the ground, snapping and snarling at each other. Gohan launched his attack first, and Inuyasha prepared to dodge him.

Which would explain why neither of them was prepared for the solid thwack of a staff over their heads.

"Kuso, bouzu, next time you swing that staff…"

"I'll hit you harder Inuyasha. Now, I've been chased out of the hut by Kaede, I'm tired, and I have a hangover. Shut up and let me sleep."

"Oi, just because Sango won't let you feel her up, lech, doesn't mean…"

Thwack. Thwack. Thwack.

"Kuso…"

Gohan, who was once again wearing a large sweatdrop, sheepishly hopped back up to his perch. Inuyasha grumbled loudly as he leaped back up to his branch. Miroku made himself comfortable at the base of the tree, and settled in for the night.

Inuyasha stared into the open night sky, suddenly remembering Gohan's tale about his tail.

"You would willingly cut off your tail to avoid losing control of your youkai…your Saiyan blood?"

Gohan responded in a monotone.

"Aa."

Inuyasha tried to think of the concept. It would be like cutting off his ears.

"Doesn't it hurt? Don't you feel…incomplete?"

Gohan's voice remained monotonous, but Inuyasha heard a small thread of his anger and frustration slip through.

"Kami, yes! It hurts like a bitch and I won't be able to walk properly for a while, but it's what has to be done."

Inuyasha settled back on his perch, his ears flattened against his head as he tried to remember his own transformations into a youkai.

"I know how you feel."

Videl snuggled into the futon as best as she could. She was elated, feeling a sense of freedom that she had rarely felt before. No _Hercule Satan the Great_ to deal with. She was just a strong-minded girl with other strong-willed girls. She and Kagome had bonded almost immediately, and Sango was an ideal version of the future Videl.

"Hey girls, mind if I join you? I'd rather not deal with Miroku's wandering hand tonight." Speak of devils, or girls, and they appear. Sango stood in the hut's doorway, awkwardly holding the door open while struggling to keep her gear in her hands. Kirara and Shippou managed to sneak inside before her, and both were soon asleep on a heap of blankets in the corner of the hut.

"Of course you can Sango-chan!" Kagome jumped up to help the girl inside, and all of them fell to the task of making a space for her to sleep.

Soon, everyone was settled in. After they found a yukata for Videl to sleep in, the girls slipped under their covers and talked quietly.

Sango decided to bring up the topic of Gohan first.

"Not to be rude Videl, but you seemed to be surprised by your boyfriend's past."

Videl choked and sputtered.

"He's not my boyfriend, we just train together!"

Kagome saw Videl's blush, and couldn't help teasing her a bit more.

"Are you sure? He seemed very concerned about you in the clearing..."

"Oh like you can talk, Kagome! What about you and that dog-boy?"

"Mou! He hates me!"

"That's why he jumped three feet when you got on his back, of course."

Sango laughed as the two girls argued.

"Kagome, you know very well you and Inuyasha are a perfect couple, even if you two insist on denying it. And Videl, I'm sorry about my assumption, but you and Gohan just look perfect together."

"Mou!!! He's just a silly, thickheaded man. Just like all men."

Kagome decided to get back to the original topic. She didn't want to think about Inuyasha right now.

"But it's true, you looked like you were hearing the story for the first time."

Videl sighed loudly and nodded.

"It's true, I never heard about Gohan's past before. But, in a strange way, his stories confirmed things that I'd guessed at before."

Sango noted a slight sense of despair in the young fighter's voice.

"Guessed at? What do you mean?"

Videl thought carefully as she tried to remember all the strange things she'd noticed about Gohan and his family.

"Well, he always wore baggy clothes, like he was hiding something. Then, I figured out he was Saiyaman, and I was blackmailing him for lessons in flying and stuff. But when I first trained with him, his little brother came with us and… he was incredible! He learnt how to fly in about ten seconds! Then his father and mother…well, his father is the winner of the 23rd Tournament, but I swear I saw him lift the house up so Chi Chi could sweep the cellars! With one hand!

But most importantly, I remember my father's face when he saw the Gold Warrior catch those bank robbers on TV. He looked like he'd seen a ghost…he kept mumbling on about _they're back, they'll tell the truth_. I've never seen my father that flustered. And that was the first time I wondered about my dad's story about winning that Tournament.

Then after Gohan showed me that I was strong enough to fly and other stuff, well, I begin to doubt my father even more. The day I began to totally disbelieve him was the day I beat him in sparring, without even breaking a sweat."

Videl sighed wearily. She had guessed at the truth for so long, but finding out the Gohan was the real world savior still took some getting used to. And it never helped to know that your father was lying to the world.

Kagome's heart went out to the girl, even as she wrapped her arms around her shoulder. She tried to think of something cheerful to break the somber mood in the hut.

"Ano, Sango-chan, isn't the Midsummer Festival in the next three days?"

"Iie! I haven't finished our kimonos yet! Miroku said that fabric went well with my eyes and I never…"

Kagome's eyebrows shot up.

"Mou, since when did you ask Miroku for fashion advice?"

Sango's face flamed bright red as she tried to recover from her slip-up.

"That's not the point. Kagome, don't you have anything from your time that can help?"

Kagome was already rummaging through her gigantic pack, trying to find the last item she'd packed.

"Aha! Sango let me introduce you to…the portable sewing machine! This will do the sewing fast, so our hands won't get tired and we can finish the kimonos in time. We just have to cut the cloth pieces out, then join them."

"Sugoi! Now, all we have to do is find some fabric to make a kimono for Videl."

"Eh? Me?! I've never worn a kimono! I've never even worn a dress! I look horrible out of pants."

"No problem! By the time we are finished, Gohan will wish he **was** your boyfriend!" Kagome's eyes gleamed dangerously as she thought up matchmaking schemes. "Now, we have 3 days and 2 nights. Let's get some sleep!"

Videl was very afraid of the gleam in Kagome's eyes.

Miroku heard the young half-Saiyan's confession, and sighed. Couldn't those two just go to sleep?

"Gohan, I do not think that you need to remove your tail to control your youk…Saiyan blood"

"So what would you suggest, bouzu? We blindfold him for the rest of the time?"

"Inuyasha, be serious before I use my staff. Again. Remember when your concern for Kagome's welfare allowed you to keep enough presence of mind to fetch Tetsusaiga, even though you had already transformed?"

"Aa. So you are suggesting that if he can keep thinking about someone he lo…protects, he'll be able to control the urge to transform?"

Miroku nodded sagely, covering his smirk at Inuyasha's near slip of the tongue.

"And it would appear that the girl Videl is the person he _protects_ now that he is here."

Gohan almost fell off of his perch at the mention of Videl. He had been trying to forget the fact that he had bared so many of his secrets to total strangers.

"Nani?! Videl? She's just using me to get stronger; she'd kill me if I protected her. She doesn't care about me"

Miroku sighed wearily.

"Are all hanyou this stupid when it comes to women?"

"Nani?!" was the disgruntled response from the two half-breeds.

Miroku glared sharply at Inuyasha, then Gohan.

"Gohan, I think Videl cares for you…at least a little." Gohan remained quiet, but doubt flashed across his expressive face.

"And you, Inuyasha, are the blindest man alive if you can't see how Kagome feels about you. Do you realize how much you have hurt her, especially now that you are going to join Kikyou?"

"Feh." 'Is this lecher right? I wish I could believe…'

The three men settled into an uncomfortable silence for almost an hour. Finally, Miroku thought of a neutral topic.

"At any rate Inuyasha, we should accompany Gohan to the Midsummer Festival, since he will be here for it."

"Bouzu, you know I don't go to festivals."

"For once Inuyasha, humor me and **try** to relax. We've killed Naraku and the Shikon no Tama is complete. We don't have anything to do."

Gohan's interest was peaked by this statement.

"Who's Naraku? And what's a Shikon no Tama?"

Miroku looked askance at Inuyasha, who just turned away and ground out a "Feh!"

"Well, it all began…"****


	5. Aggravations

Wishing Well

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or Dragon Ball Z. Even my pants are on loan. Don't sue me.

Disclaimer: This is my first fic. Expect it to suck. Don't hurt me.

Legend: "…" = speech

'…' = thought

~~~ = beginning/ending of flashback

"…and that's how it all ended."

Miroku had finally finished the story of the Shikon no Tama, Naraku, Kikyou, Kagome, and Inuyasha. Inuyasha had tried hard not to join in, but he couldn't stand how Miroku was portraying him as a two-timing, arrogant, irritable bastard. He wasn't a two-timer!

Gohan was surprised at the adventures this group of people had stumbled into. He thought the Z senshi were the only people who could possibly end up in these types of situations. Naraku's form seemed eerily similar to Cell's, and Gohan found himself fighting the horrible flashbacks.

The men had talked so long that the sun had risen. The village was awake and they hadn't gotten a wink of sleep.

"Shimatta, I hate when I don't get any sleep," Miroku muttered angrily.

Gohan groaned loudly.

"I would love a good soak in my dad's bathtub. Or one of those hot springs that are all around Krillen and Master Roshi's island."

Inuyasha leapt out of the tree, almost crash-landed into Miroku, and smirked wildly as the frazzled monk threatened him from his position on the ground. With a self-satisfied smirk, he turned to Gohan, who was busy stretching.

"We've got a hot spring nearby, and we should be able to soak for a while before the bitches wake up…ITAI!"

Miroku's staff stood out from between Inuyasha's ears, as Gohan sniggered behind the monk.

"You mean before the **young ladies** wake up, don't you Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha rubbed the tender lump on his head, and silently vowed to drown the monk.

"Shut up bouzu and let's go. Feh!"

Sango woke up, feeling rather unrefreshed. She had tossed and turned all night, trying to remember just **when** her treacherous body had begun to miss Miroku's gropes. She sighed quietly as she tried to find her yukata and bath items.

Videl woke up bleary-eyed and woozy, her cheek feeling like a swollen mess. She really wished that Gohan had told her he was an alien **before** she thought of conning him into hitting her.

'Itai, itai, itai! I need a cold compress.'

Videl tried to move her muscles, but the landing in the well seemed to have left them cramped.

'Mou, I need a hot bath to soak in, THEN a cold compress.'

Videl sorted through the few capsules she had to reveal one that was marked _TOILETRIES_.

Kagome woke up with her eyes stuck together. A quick rub revealed that her tears, which she had cried in her sleep, had dried her lids shut.

'Baka Inuyasha, why don't you care?'

Kagome reached absently in her pack for her bathbag.

All three girls finally became aware of the others' existence. Sango smiled wearily as she grabbed her bath gear.

"Videl, you have a choice between a hot springs and a cold river. Which would you prefer?"

Videl thought carefully.

"Which one is Miroku **not** at?"

Kagome and Sango laughed knowingly as they remembered their own struggles to hide from the lecherous monk. Kagome slipped her arm through Videl's right arm, as Sango slipped her own through Videl's left.

"Miroku hardly ever goes to the hot springs, it's too far for his lazy butt. We'll be safe there," Kagome answered with more cheer that she felt.

"Ok then, onwards!"

The world trembled before the three grumpy girls on a mission of cleanliness.

The monk and the two half-breeds were comfortably settled in the hot springs.

"Ah, this is wonderful! All those fights with Naraku seem like a distant nightmare here."

"For once I agree with you, bouzu."

"There's nothing like a dip in a hot spring after a hard day," Gohan agreed.

"Aaaaaaaah!"

The three males sank lower into the water. Each one wore a satisfied smile of content relaxation. Each one was curling up to happy thoughts. Each was hit by a wave of the most wonderful scent he had every whiffed in his short, strange life.

'Tangy, so crisp. Like an early autumn day. Much like Sango…"

"What is that bold scent? Jaunty, happy…kind of a bully. Smells of ripe fruit and Videl…"

"Hn…light scent, like fresh spring flowers. Innocent, but eager for life, like Kagome…"

The realization hit each male at the same time. The response was the same as each male jumped out of the water in shock, forgetting their nakedness.

Kagome, Sango, and Videl stood stunned as the man of their individual dreams jumped up in surprise.

Kagome felt the air in her chest rush out in a solid woof. Her eyes flew across Inuyasha's naked form, taking in the sheen of the water on his sunlit-body. She watched as a single drop of water fell from his left ear onto his shoulder, and then slowly trailed down his broad chest and over his hard abs to slide effortlessly in and out of his navel. The drop slid lower and lower, eventually tangling with the other drops lodged in his pubic region. Kami!!! How was that supposed to fit in anything other than his own hands! And how could it be getting bigger!

Sango had been groped by the monk many times, and had never understood the compulsion. Now, as she saw the houshi naked, understanding began to dawn in her eyes as her own hands twitched convulsively. Miroku was perfection in pale marble, hard and whipcord lean. Each plane of muscle was etched, and slid effortlessly into any position. He had the build of an acrobat; so smooth was he that Sango could only imagine him to have been sculpted. She could not find one undeveloped muscle on his body, but she did find one very overdeveloped one. One that grew under her gaze.

Videl felt her eyes stretch impossibly wide in an attempt to view all that Gohan had hidden from her. How he'd ever accomplished it, only Dende knew for certain, but she was suddenly glad to have been the only female in Orange Star High School to see the splendor that was Gohan. His shoulders shot out from his broad neck, to taper down to battle-hardened narrow hips. His legs were like young tree trunks, firm, even though a hint of the supple movements they were capable of could be seen. His tanned skin rippled like velvet over his abdomens, and…Videl's eyes stretched wider at the sight of the rapidly rising organ below his waist.

It took the girls all of three minutes to complete their scrutiny. In that time, Inuyasha, Miroku, and Gohan stood and felt uncomfortably like bulls about to be slaughtered. What turned the tides against the girls were their individual scents and their monthly reproductive cycles.

Inuyasha and Gohan smelt it first, not just the change in the females' scents to that of heavy arousal, but also the mind numbing allure of…

"Heat. Kuso, Sango's in heat," Miroku whispered breathlessly, trying to breathe as shallowly as possible.

Inuyasha would have time to ponder why Miroku could smell the changes later. Right now he was busy trying to control his instincts. Gohan stood oblivious to all but Videl, until his mind decided to run on autopilot; letting his Saiyan instincts take over.

Drawing himself to his full height, Gohan let his heated gaze run over Videl's small, fit frame. When he made eye contact, he grinned lasciviously, licking his lips in a sultry motion before he murmured out, "Like what you see, onna?"

The words cut the tension like a knife. Inuyasha had won the battle with his instincts, but after so many occasions where Kagome had accused him of being a hentai, he couldn't let this chance to tease her get away.

"Feh. Miko, hasn't anyone told you it's rude to stare?" Inuyasha growled, letting some of his passion show in his eyes.

Miroku smirked, throwing the others their clothing.

"Leave them alone, can't you see they're trying to look but not touch?"

The three girls came out of their reveries with a jolt.

"**HENTAI!!!!**"

"**Oomph**!"

"**Itai**!"

"**Stop yanking**!"

The dust around the hot springs cleared to show Inuyasha crumpled into the every popular _Sit_ position, Miroku massaging a large lump on his head, and Gohan coddling his tender tail in his hands.

"You came here to spy on us didn't you, Houshi-sama?"

"I thought you were better than that Gohan!"

"Can none of you keep your hentai thoughts away for two seconds?!"

Miroku was the first on his feet, rolling upwards with such grace that Sango could not concentrate on her tirade.

His eyes smoldered as he turned them towards Sango. He remembered what his father had taught him, about his soul mate being the only woman he would ever smell in heat. He had been in love with Sango for so long, and to finally have proof…it was a heady combination.

Inuyasha stood up slowly, moving with preternatural ease from rest to standing. His eyes were hidden by his bangs, but Kagome remained in his sights. His senses had not lied to him. Kagome had been examining his body, and what she saw had aroused her greatly. 'So, I **do** stand a chance. Kami, to have been blind for so long…'

Gohan levitated to his feet, eyes intent on his tail. He had told Videl to stop yanking, but pain wasn't the reason for his outburst. The minute she had touched his tail, his body exploded into myriad sensations, each one overwhelming his senses. He could smell her heat. He could taste her skin. He could feel her pulse through her fingertips. He could hear the way she was panting with unconscious lust. He could see the way her body responded to him.

The males turned and walked away, smirks plastered on their faces.

Kagome shuddered as she was released from Inuyasha's unseen, yet hypnotic golden gaze. She watched the other girls shake their own hypnosis off, and sighed. What had changed just now? Inuyasha had given her heated glances before, but this…this was a blatant advertisement of lust. Kagome had never felt so aroused and desired in her life.

"Ano, I guess we should take our baths," she muttered softly, unable to meet anyone's eyes. "We have a lot to do before the festival."

The other girls nodded mutely as they stripped.

No one saw a fox kit and a two-tailed cat scamper from the bushes.

Shippou and Kirara had been sent by Kaede to look for flowers to help decorate the village for the festival. And that really was Shippou's only intention. Honest! But he sniffed Kagome okaa-san going to the hot springs and he was sure that he could have a little fun getting his hair and tail washed.

He never expected to see Inuyasha and the other men there. And he didn't really expect to find Kagome and Inuyasha reacting to each other like his parents used to, although they had come close to it many times before.

So he did the first thing he was good at when it looked like the coast was clear.

Which explains why he and Kirara were zooming back to the village as silently as possible.

"Mrow?" Kirara asked Shippou.

"We didn't do anything wrong, Kirara, but can you imagine what Inuyasha and Miroku will do to us if they find out that we know how they really feel about Kagome and Sango? Especially with all the other stuff we've heard from being with the girls last night? And I don't think Gohan is any better when it comes to Videl."

Shippou was suddenly gripped by a sensation of floating, his tail rapidly rising off of the ground to leave him dangling upside down in the air. He shrieked once, and fainted dead away as he heard an overly familiar voice inquire, "And what exactly did you overhear, hmm lunch bait?"

Kirara saw the figure, and transformed, only to be swarmed on all sides. Before she could disperse her attackers, Shippou's scent was long gone.

Kirara was back at the hot spring in roughly two seconds. 

The water was turbulent, as if a great disturbance had occurred in the spring. Bath gear and clothing were scattered all over the area. 

The girls were gone.

"Someone explain to me why I can't use my claws on the wood and be done?"

Thwack.

Gohan sighed wearily as he pried Miroku's axe handle off of Inuyasha's head.

"Kaede-sama said that she needs the wood in a certain size in order to build a wall of sorts around the main bonfire. It irritates me to do it this way too…"

Thwack.

"But if the miko of a village asks you for a simple favor, you honor it, not bitch like two hanyous I know."

"Feh!"

"Aw man, Miroku-sama, use your staff next time, ok?"

The three males had returned to the village and were immediately sent back out into the woods to chop logs for firewood. Furthermore, Kaede had ordered that the logs be a certain length and width, glaring meaningfully at Inuyasha, who had been busy stretching his claws.

The task was not so onerous as to put a damper on their mood, however.

'She knows the truth now, and she was still aroused by me. Me, Son Gohan, first-rate geek of Orange Star High! I've got to find out more about how she feels. I need to talk to her.'

Gohan stared down wryly at his lingering erection.

'Eh, maybe when she's not in heat. Heat. Heat. Heat.'

Gohan mindlessly chopped a log into chopsticks.

'Blind! I've been so blind! I have a chance, a small chance, but it's there! Kuso, I need to talk to that girl, whether she is in heat or not. Heat. Heat. Heat.'

The tree that Inuyasha had felled was neatly slashed into many large platters.

'My father told me, before he died, that the right woman, my soul mate, would be the only woman that I would be so in tune with that I could smell her monthly cycle. It is strange though. I suddenly feel energized. I feel like I could run like Inuyasha. I have a need to show Sango that I can be a good mate for her, especially now that she's in heat. Heat. Heat. Heat.'

Miroku artfully sculpted a man and a woman in an endless embrace.

Kirara landed into the clearing with a loud thud. In her mouth, she held Kagome's shirt, Sango's yukata, and the shorts that Videl had been training in.

All three males looked up at the faint traces of the girls' scents. However, there was an all too familiar scent that lay heavily on the articles of clothing. Miroku and Inuyasha were so used to the scent that they often ignored it, and Gohan had been used to it from the time he met Yamucha. However, the dark look in Kirara's eyes told them that the scent was now a problem. A big problem.

Inuyasha's eyes flashed scarlet as he picked up the scent.

"Kuso. Kirara, which direction did Kouga and his pack go off in?"

Kirara pointed her nose to the mountains.

"Does he have Videl and the others, Kirara?" Gohan asked, his voice quiet and tight. His black eyes now held a blue flame at their core.

Kirara nodded once, her growl deepening at the mention of the others.

Miroku mounted her in one fluid motion, and used his grip in her mane to turn her back to the mountains as he grabbed his staff from against the woodpile.

"What are we waiting for?" he asked, his voice deceptively mild, "Let's go wolf-hunting."

No one saw Miroku's brown eyes darken to a deep violet that matched his robes.

'Itai, itai, **itai**! Any more blows to my head and I'll be as scrambled as Gohan's dad!'

Videl woke up to find herself in a torch-lit cave. The air in the cave smelt like the mountains near Gohan's home, but it should have been much colder. She felt like she was wrapped in a fur blanket…

Across the cave, she caught Sango's eye.

"Don't move!" Sango mouthed to the young fighter.

Videl nodded, puzzled by what could have Sango worried…

The fur blanket next to her stood up and stretched.

'A wolf on two legs?!' Videl thought wildly, trying to control her movements and appear as if she were still asleep.

The _wolf_ turned to gaze at Videl. His face was scarred, and he looked like a brawler. His black fur was as shaggy on his chest as it was on his back.

'A werewolf! A wolf youkai! All of them…wolf youkai!'

"Hn, my bitch, you're awake. Good. I'm looking forward to marking and mating you," the black wolf youkai snarled, as a salacious grin marred his face.

"Fuck," Videl gasped, then shivered as his eyes met hers.


	6. Retaliations

Wishing Well

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or Dragon Ball Z. Even my pants are on loan. Don't sue me.

Disclaimer: This is my first fic. Expect it to suck. Don't hurt me.

Legend: "…" = speech

'…' = thought

~~~ = beginning/ending of flashback

"Kouga-kun! What's this all about? You didn't have to kidnap me and the rest you know?"

Kagome stood in the middle of the cave, arms crossed over her chest as she ignored her nudity and the writhing blanket of wolf fur at her feet. Her glare was fixed on a certain young, dark-brown wolf youkai and his two underlings.

"Gomen nee-chan, but Kouga…"

"We didn't want to nee-chan, but Kouga…"

"SHUT UP!"

A swift movement of Kouga's arm sent both underlings across the cave.

Kagome was puzzled. This was totally unlike Kouga. While she knew the wolf-boy had a crush on her, he never kidnapped her in the violent manner that he had now. And why was he looking at her like that? She'd never seen him look so…scared.

Kouga's form was soon overshadowed by two huge shadows. A huge hairy hand slammed down onto his shoulder.

"Nii-sama, Kouga was holding out on us. See, this little tidbit here is calling him _Kouga-kun_."

The gruff voice belonged to a walking red carpet. The wolf youkai was covered in red brown fur. Literally covered. His face was barely recognizable from that of a wolf. His hands were more like five-fingered paws. And he had a naked Sango draped over his left shoulder like a rag. Although Kagome had never seen a rag screaming and hitting like Sango currently was.

"Hn, you're right, looks like little brother has been busy behind our backs."

This voice belonged to shaggier, larger, and scarred black version of Kouga. The face was filled with a malicious lust, as he held a struggling, nude Videl under his arm like a chicken to be slaughtered.

Kouga finally looked up at Kagome. His eyes were scared, but the look lasted for a brief moment before they turned hard. He sneered brutally at Kagome as he leered at her openly.

"Souran, Nii-sama, I'd like you to meet my woman, Kagome."

The red southern wolf, Souran, laughed heartily, and slammed his hand back on Kouga's shoulder. Nii, the black northern wolf merely smirked.

"Ah, such good hunting Kouga, not only do you get your own woman, you find some playmates for us!" Souran shouted enthusiastically, cruelly running his claws through Sango's hair to cup her ass.

Nii blatantly fondled Videl's breast as he switched her from one arm to another. He smiled coldly at Kagome as he responded to Kouga's introduction.

"Good, we can have a mating party in front of all the packs. And it will be fun…especially when the girls struggle."

Nii's smile widened, as he smelled the fear pouring off of all three girls.

Inuyasha's heart lurched in his chest. He had felt her. He had felt Kagome's emotions as though she were standing in front of him and the only thing in her heart right now was fear.

He was concentrating so hard on that feeling that he almost squashed Shippou, who lay dazed at the foot of the mountain.

"Oi, I found Shippou! Come down you two!"

Miroku felt his heart race as his mind formed a sudden image of Sango, fear written all over her face. Her lips worked as if she was saying something, but Miroku could only make out the words _help_ and his name.

Gohan's heart stopped dead in his chest, as his mind was suddenly flooded with Videl's fear. Whoever had taken her would pay and pay and pay.

Gohan and Kirara landed gently behind Inuyasha. Shippou had recovered by this time, and he raced up Inuyasha's hakama to cling to his haori like lichen to a cave wall.

"WAH!!  Inuyasha, you have to save Kagome! First Kouga came, and he caught me, then these two big bad wolf youkai were behind him, and they were saying that they smelled women in heat, and I told Kouga not to touch Kagome, and his eyes went all funny-like, then he called the pack and they attacked Kirara, and then they went after Kagome and Sango and Videl and took them out of the hot spring, and they were fighting but the wolves were too strong so they took them, then Kouga dumped me here and told me to run for you quick, that he didn't know how long he could stop them from raping the girls and and and…"

Inuyasha and Miroku, used to the kitsune's babbling, gleaned the most important information from his tirade in roughly two seconds. The wolves had been out near the springs for some strange reason. They had sniffed their women in heat. They had taken them. Rape was imminent.

Gohan had only heard two words, _heat_ and _rape_. He was up in a flash, sniffing for the wolf trail.

Three figures left Kirara and Shippou in a whirlwind of dust as they raced up the mountain.

"Here! I found it!" he yelled to the others, as he unconsciously flared into Super Saiyan level one. His blond hair billowed as his eyes turned to a cold, merciless ice blue.

Inuyasha's eyes, which had been flashing in between scarlet and gold since Kirara had alerted them, froze in a deep scarlet hue. Blue irises slowly bled into those pitiless orbs. Claws and fangs stretched longer and grew sharper as Inuyasha lost control.

"Miroku, you should stay here, you can't fight all the wolves in there." Gohan suggested calmly.

Inuyasha turned to find Miroku panting heavily, his eyes hidden by his bangs. He sniffed the air, smelling an unrecognizable youkai-like scent, which seemed to be emanating from the monk himself.

Miroku's breathing slowed, and he raised his head. His eyes were completely violet. His right palm, where the air void had been, was glowing.

"I come," he growled, then loosed an inhuman howl to the wind.

Inuyasha, then Gohan joined in. The stones on the mountain quaked before their entry into the cave.

The three wolf youkai pricked their ears as they heard the howl on the wind. Nii negligently ordered the black wolves milling around his feet to check the cave entrance. Souran sent a large portion of his red wolves to protect the interior passages. For some reason, Kouga's wolves were not to be found.

Kagome knew that howl. That was Inuyasha, a youkai Inuyasha. He had come for her. She needed to stall for time, or she would be nothing by the time he fought his way to her. She knew her best chance for survival lay with Kouga.

"Kouga-kun, what are they talking about?" she inquired, silently willing Lady Luck to be on her side.

Kouga scooped Kagome up as if she were a bride.

"Come further back into the cave. They can't interrupt us here."

As the wolf youkai moved back into the cave, Souran answered Kagome's question.

"Well, little tidbit, when youkai take mates, they mark each other and then mate as wildly and as often as possible. The mark and the mating is our way of laying claim to another person. Much more effective than that stupid human ceremony called _marriage_."

Nii continued talking as the wolf youkai dropped their cargo on the floor against a cave wall.

"When a youkai and a human mate, the youkai can mark the human, but the human doesn't usually have the strength to mark the youkai. It leads to a one-sided bond."

Sango tried to use her arms to protect her modesty, even as she picked up the conversation again. 'I must have some sick fascination with my own death, but this conversation gives the boys time to find us.'

"What does a one-sided bond do?" she asked hesitantly.

Kouga shook himself like a man waking up. He stared intently at Kagome although he was answering Sango's question.

"A one-sided bond makes you property of the youkai who took you. You girls are about to become the slaves of the Wolf tribe."

The three girls huddled near each other as the wolves closed in on their prey…

Yelps of pain filled the cave. Blood rained from above, as red and black pelts went flying into the room.

A carpet of mangled wolf bodies lined the entrance of the cave. Many more wolves had simply disappeared.

Inuyasha's hands and forearms were slick with blood. His haori had been ripped open to reveal many shallow cuts on his chest and shoulders. His eyes were crazed with bloodlust, even as he searched for Kagome in the enveloping darkness.

Sometime during the bloodbath, Miroku managed to out the torches that had been in the wall. Not that the darkness was actually an impediment to him at the moment, to the dismay of the red wolves that met the wrong end of his staff.

"They're somewhere in the back," Gohan rumbled, as he mindlessly crushed the life out of a black wolf.

Screams filled the air once more, followed by evil laughter.

The males ran through the twisting passages of the cave, following the sounds.

Flashes of pink light flared, punctuated by blue bursts. The sound of combat filled their ears as the hunting males ran to the battle.

Eventually, an enormous room opened before them in the gloom, and two bursts of light, one blue and one pink, gave Inuyasha, Gohan, and Miroku a snapshot of the struggle.

Sango stood with her back against the far wall, her hands balled into tight fists as she fended off a large, shaggy, red figure. Her face was painted with desperation and fear, and she was using her agility and every trick she knew to keep the youkai from grabbing her.

Videl's hands glowed briefly as she gathered her ki for another blast. She had only started practicing ki blasts with Gohan a few days ago, and her lack of experience was showing. It took her longer and longer to gather the energy for effective blasts, and she was growing weaker by the second. But a grim determination shone in her eyes, as she ignored Nii's chilling sneer to direct her blast at a vulnerable point on his body.

Kagome's fight was much different. Whereas the other two wolves seemed to be leisurely hunting their prey, Kouga seemed desperate, throwing rash yet deadly attacks at the miko, attacks that she was forced to repel with her purifying magic. Unlike the other wolves, Kouga was panting heavily. Despite Kagome's caution, she had made a number of serious wounds.

Gohan calmly walked towards Videl, utterly ignoring Nii, who stood aside in shock. Videl stared at Gohan, her eyes slightly wild as her battered brain and exhausted body forcefully tried to collapse.

"Go..Gohan?"

"Aa. You look like you've been through a lot. Come, let me take care of things here, then I'll take you back to the hot spring for a nice bath."

"B..but Gohan, the wolf man behind you, he wants to rape me and make me a slave and and and…"

"Shhh, koi, everything is okay. Just sit here for a bit while I…_talk_ to this fellow."

Gohan brushed his hands over Videl's bruised cheek, and she gave a small sigh of happiness. She knew she was safe again.

Nii was not amused and very confused. As the yellow-haired youkai walked over to the girl he had intended on taking, he had never felt more ignored. Yet, his instincts were telling him to run, run far and fast and forever. He couldn't understand it. The youkai was younger than him. He had a pretty face, no scars to show that he'd been in any battles. He growled impatiently as the youkai gently placed the girl against the wall.

"Hey, you, pretty boy! What do you think you're doing touching my prey, ne? Come here let me see if your spine is as yellow as your hair…"

Nii's threats died in his throat with a whimper as Gohan turned to face him.

'Those eyes! There's something wrong with those eyes! I think…I think he scares me…'

Gohan smirked, and then Nii was sure. Oh yes, this youkai scared him.

"So, you're the one who happened to kidnap my woman?"

"Y…y…your woman? I didn't smell a mate on her…"

"Oh? So you take advantage of any mateless woman you smell?"

"Yes…I mean no…I mean I have the right to!"

"Oh really?"

By this time, the two men were staring eye-to-eye. Gohan's smirk had left his face, which frightened Nii even more.

"I think you need a challenge."

"Nani? Challenge? Why?"

Gohan firmly grasped Nii's throat and began to force the air out of his lungs.

"Because I can hear the weeping souls of a whole lot of mateless women that you've taken advantage of. And they want your blood."

Gohan's hair grew as he went up another level. Howls of pain flooded the area as his fists, elbows, knees, and feet went to work. Soon, only the dull sound of flesh on flesh could be heard. Then, silence.

Nii's corpse slipped out of Gohan's hand. The face was barely recognizable. The body was twisted at odd angles, and bones jutted out in peculiar places.

Across the room, Miroku had roughly grabbed Souran and thrown him out of the room. His violet eyes scanned Sango, who slumped spinelessly against the cave wall.

"Miroku? Miroku…you're really here?" she whispered, as her sore body trembled.

"Sango, you're sore, rest a bit. Here, take my outer robe."

Miroku stood in his blue inner mai as he wrapped his purple outer houi around and under Sango.

"Miroku…your eyes…"

Miroku flinched. He sighed quietly as he finished wrapping her.

"Do I scare you? I'll have Kirara take you back to the village if I scare you," he responded quietly.

Sango looked at him thoughtfully, then shook her head as she felt his hand slip over her buttocks.

She whacked him on the head as hard as her strength allowed her to.

"No, Miroku. You don't scare me. You're still my…the same old lecher."

Miroku's heart soared. He swooped down to kiss her lightly, then turned to confront Souran, who had finally made it back to the room.

"Nani?!" the furry red youkai bellowed. "A youkai who thinks himself a bouzu, eh? I'll teach you youngling, what it means to challenge Souran."

Miroku's eyes blazed as he brazenly laughed at Souran.

"Souran, oh Souran! Pafh! You are as nothing when compared to me."

Souran roared as he charged towards the annoying monk. The monk negligently lifted his staff, then twirled the golden head to the youkai.

A gust of air blasted Souran back three feet before he could stop himself. Only the air between himself and the monk moved.

Miroku grinned, and set his staff on the ground. The wind stopped as abruptly as it started.

Souran had been forced to his knees in the gale. He stared at the youkai-monk, fear etched across his muzzle.

"What…are you?" he gasped, as he tried to catch his breath.

Miroku's grin grew as he lifted his right hand towards the youkai. The center of his palm glowed, then a dark spot began to suck the light in.

Souran felt the air behind him rush towards the monk, but instead of buffeting him, the air seemed to be sucked into his palm…

"An air void! A Kazaana! B…b…b…but only one youkai can control such a disturbance of air! You can't be a windworker! They're all dead, all dead, and their human allies cursed!" Souran raved, as foam flecked his lips in panic.

Miroku's grin faded as the Kazaana grew. He listened dispassionately to Souran's screams as he was suctioned into the ravenous Kazaana. When Souran had disappeared, the skin on Miroku's palm closed, leaving nothing but the smell of blood and death.


	7. Oblations

Wishing Well

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or Dragon Ball Z. Even my pants are on loan. Don't sue me.

Disclaimer: This is my first fic. Expect it to suck. Don't hurt me.

Legend: "…" = speech

'…' = thought

~~~ = beginning/ending of flashback

Kagome was staring death in the face. Kouga had leapt towards her in another desperate attack, and as she had retreated to gather her magic, she had slipped on a number of small pebbles, causing her to fall awkwardly. She now cowered on the ground, her legs and arms splayed uselessly as Kouga stared at her with silent sorrow.

Suddenly, it was Inuyasha's face above her. Somewhere nearby, Kagome heard the distinct thud of someone landing badly.

"Inu…yasha? You came for me?"

"Baka onna. Why wouldn't I come, hn?"

Inuyasha took off his haori off of his waist, and wrapped the shredded garment around her shoulders. He rested back on his haunches as his hands gently probed her legs and arms for fractures.

"I was afraid," Kagome answered meekly.

"You should be…" Inuyasha stopped as Kagome placed her hand on his cheek.

"I love you, Inuyasha. I was afraid I wouldn't be around long enough to say that."

Inuyasha's heart fell out of his chest. Or it felt that way. She loved him. Him. He was standing over her in full youkai form and she loved him! He hid his eyes with his bangs, trying to stop the joy they reflected. 'Not yet, not yet. I need to get her out of danger first.'

"We'll talk later, Inuyasha no kokoro."

Kouga was up on his feet at last. He turned away to spit out a tooth that came loose from Inuyasha's surprise attack. Finally, everything was going as planned.

"Inukkoro!!! Get you dog breath from over my woman!"

Wolf gaze met dog glare and recoiled. 'Shimatta! Inuyasha is not supposed to be youkai. What to do, what to do?"

Kouga smirked viciously.

"Nani, Inukkoro? Finally realized that the only way you could stand a chance against me was as a full youkai? Finally acknowledged that you're too weak in that pathetic hanyou carcass."

Inuyasha used every once of control he'd ever learned in the past two years to avoid rending Kouga limb from limb.

"Kouga! Kisama, you say you love Kagome, and then you attack her? This is not like you. I want the truth before I eat your heart."

Kouga's eyes had changed again. He shivered convulsively and foam bubbled from between his lips.

Inuyasha's eyes widened. He could smell it, he could smell what was wrong with the wolf but what was it called…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Flashback ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chibi Inuyasha was skipping ahead of his mother. They were traveling again, as they had been thrown out of yet another village.  Inuyasha's prancings soon brought him close to a bat that seemed to be basking in the sunlight on the road.

"Eh? Mama, look, it's a bat, a bat!"

His mother slowly met up with Inuyasha. The blows that Inuyasha could not stop had hurt her sides badly.

As his mother drew closer, she saw the bat, out in broad daylight, and forced her body to move swiftly enough to stop Inuyasha's prodding fingers.

"No son! Don't touch it! Think my child, when have you ever seen a bat in the daytime?"

Inuyasha's youthful face scrunched into a thoughtful frown.

"This is the first time!"

"The only time bats come out in the day is if they are sick. And there is only one illness that can drive them mad enough to brave the light."

"But I'm a hanyou, Mama! I can't get sick!"

"Do not believe that Inuyasha. The wild madness goes through all, youkai, human, and animals. Only the cold animals, like snakes and toads are immune."

Inuyasha stepped away fearfully. His mother continued as she led him around the bat.

"The wild madness comes from bites from sick animals. It slowly drives the infected person insane, causing them to attack family, friend, and foe. They cannot sleep. They become afraid of water. They cannot move normally. They are prone to salivating or foaming at the mouth. They see things that are not there. They hear strange noises. They become dangerous. Then they die. There is no cure."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Flashback ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Inuyasha's eyes widened in surprised, even as they flickered towards gold.

"Oi, wolf! Kouga! You have it don't you? You have the wild madness?"

Kouga shivered again. He would rather have died with Inuyasha's hate than his pity.

"Aa, yes I have it. But that doesn't matter! Inukkoro, I'll slaughter you for touching my woman!"

Kouga bunched his muscles and launched himself at Inuyasha.

Inuyasha dodged it easily, amazed at how uncoordinated the wolf had become. He understood now. Kouga had kidnapped Kagome and left blatant evidence about imminent rape, knowing that it would inflame him into killing the wolf. The wolf wanted to die in a battle, not by his hands or by the madness.

"You want me to kill you, don't you Kouga?" he muttered as he easily dodged another attack. He thanked all the Fates that he had not slashed Kouga in his initial attack.

"Shut up! Shut up! I will not die insane and I will not die with your pity on your face! Attack me, Inukkoro, before I kill you and rape your precious Kagome. You want her mated to a madman? You want her to die from my bite?" Kouga snarled, as his saliva began to flow freely.

Inuyasha's eyes turned thoughtful, and eased back to his usual gold. He let his anger abate, and then ran for the cave entrance.

"Outside bakayarou. If you're a semi-decent wolf, you don't want to die inside a cave."

Kouga howled once, and followed the fleeing hanyou.

The two ran for a long time, one fleeing, one chasing, as Inuyasha finally came to a meadow and ran to the far side. Kouga entered the clearing and halted abruptly when he saw Tetsusaiga drawn.

'Yes! Thank you, Inukkoro!' was his last rational thought as the disease took his mind once more.

Inuyasha's face was grim. He did not pity the wolf. He secretly admired him for choosing the best way out of his impending death, and fending off the madness long enough to plan it out. But he hurt Kagome, and exposed her, all of them, to the illness in the process. It would take Inuyasha weeks of careful attention to see if any of them succumbed to the madness. That was enough to anger him.

"No one is here to stop us this time!" he growled, as the Kaze no Kizu roiled around Tetsusaiga.

Kagome heard everything. Tears stood in her eyes, as she thought carefully about the things she heard Inuyasha mutter before he fled with Kouga snapping at his heels.

'The wild madness. The disease symptoms sound familiar. But what disease can animals AND humans AND youkai get? What disease could be so horrible that Kouga thinks it's a mercy to be killed? What disease could have no cure?"

The answer hit her like a thunderbolt. She was suddenly very afraid.

Gohan and Miroku came over to her as she struggled onto her feet. Sango was cradled gently against Miroku's chest, and Videl had been scooped under Gohan's neck like a little child.

"Kagome-sama, do you need help? What is Inuyasha do…"

Miroku was interrupted as Kagome swung her fear-stricken eyes to him.

"Call Kirara! Call her now before Inuyasha kills Kouga!"

"**KAZE NO KIZU**!"

Kouga barely escaped that blast, his mind still capable of moving his body, no matter how disease-ridden it was. He turned wild eyes on Inuyasha as he bunched his limbs for an attack.

"Inuyasha!"

The cry from overhead distracted both of the combatants. Kagome, still wrapped in Inuyasha's haori, was riding Kirara, who flew towards them as fast as possible.

Inuyasha saw his chance, now that the wolf was distracted.

Kouga vaguely heard the attack as his brain focused on Kagome's voice. His rationality returned briefly.

'Not like this! She can't see me like this!'

He turned towards the Kaze no Kizu and opened his arms, as if he were embracing a lover.

The attack seared him; burning away his useless body, torching away the diseased mind. His reasoning returned to him in his last moments.

"Thank you, Inuyasha! Kagome, I'm sorry!"

The last faces that Kouga saw were Inuyasha's, which was lined with angry admiration, yet very weary, and Kagome's, which was flooded with tears.

Inuyasha responded to the wolf.

"Oi, Kouga. We understand. There's no pity. Die in peace, you've kept your honor."

Kouga closed his eyes and smiled. For once in the long months since he knew the disease was in his body, he smiled.

In a blink of an eye, he had vanished. There wasn't even a corpse to mourn.

They were going to be the last to return to the village. Inuyasha had sent Kagome and Kirara back to the others. Gohan and Miroku had flown after the two as soon as they were sure that their precious cargo was safe, and met them halfway. Miroku tried in vain to understand Kagome's state, but he finally resigned himself to placing Sango and Videl on Kirara's back, and sending them all back to the village. He and Gohan continued on to meet Inuyasha.

"Uhm, Miroku…I need to ask you something."

"I'll try to answer your questions Gohan."

"What happened to you in there?"

Miroku's face grew weary and wrinkles marred his youthful face. He sighed harshly, shaking his head.

"If I'm the first to figure it out, I'll tell you Gohan."

They flew on in silence.

Finally, they saw Inuyasha, a small figure in the meadow. The hanyou barely responded as the other two landed.

"You sent the girls to the village, houshi?"

"Aa."

"Any bites or open wounds on them?"

Gohan shook his head.

"No open wounds. The wolves took care not to scratch the merchandise."

Inuyasha's breath came out in a raspy gasp. He finally turned to them, his face emotionless.

"Kouga had the wild madness, houshi. I killed him from afar, with a Kaze no Kizu."

Miroku's hand came up in solemn prayer.

"He wanted me to kill him in anger, instead of dying of madness. He wanted to die as a sane, respected youkai. Part of this whole mess seemed to be a plan to get me to kill him that way. It worked. Honor him, houshi."

Inuyasha turned away, and stalked off to find wood.

The males went to work building the shrine. Miroku looked up often to peer at the far off shape of the God Tree.

The sky lightened as they finished. This surprised the young men, as all of them had assumed that it was still early evening, not near dawn.

As the sun rose, Miroku looked out towards the God Tree and grunted happily.

"The girls are safe in the village. Look, Inuyasha, can you see your haori on the God Tree? I told Kirara to drop it there when all of them were safe."

Inuyasha and Gohan peered momentarily, before confirming the monk's vision. The demi-Saiyan turned to the other two with a questioning glance.

"Hey, Inuyahsa? What is the wild madness? What are the symptoms?"

Inuyasha briefly recalled everything he knew about the illness. Miroku supplemented it with the knowledge that had been passed on in the monastery.

Gohan nodded sagely as he spoke, "Rabies is what we know it as. At his stage, he was incurable. But that means we have to make sure that none of us are infected."

Miroku nodded, but wondered aloud, "That's true, but who can detect the disease before it has spread too far?"

Gohan voiced his idea with a crooked smile.

"Looks like you're all gonna meet Bulma and the others after all."

Kaede gently washed the three girls, listening to their tale in between their sobs and gulps. She silently commended Inuyasha for avoiding physical contact with Kouga, but she was still worried. Her examination of each turned up no breaches in their skin, but she just could not be sure. She helped each girl into their bed, tucking them in gently. Shippou, who had returned to the village during the others' ordeal, ran to each girl offering hugs, cuddles, and tummy rubs. He was small, but he tried his utmost to offer any comfort he could. Finally he fell asleep, exhausted, curling Kirara to him as he offered his last bit of sympathy to the least vocal member of the group. Kirara purred her sleepy appreciation. Cats need hugs too, you know?

Kagome was calmer now that she was safe. She knew that Inuyasha had done the right thing, maybe even a good thing, but it still hurt to know what rabies had driven the proud wolf to do. She was glad that the Shikon no Tama had been safely hidden in her pack during the ordeal.

She'd told him. In the aftermath of all that had happened, she had told him. And he had called her _Inuyasha no kokoro_. Inuyasha's heart.

A wry smiled crossed her face. In one day, Inuyasha had finally learned of Kagome's feelings for him and dispatched the only other suitor who stood a chance. 'He must be overjoyed,' she thought ruefully, then sighed. 'And at least I know that he cares. He wouldn't call just anyone Inuyasha no kokoro,' she murmured drowsily, as she drifted to sleep.

Across the room, Sango sat up, too puzzled to sleep.

'Miroku. I finally called him Miroku, even though I wasn't thinking, I was just so happy to see him. But I never expected him to be like that! Kami, what happened to him? His eyes were violet, and he looked like a youkai! And his Kazaana! It's back, but he can control it…not just that, he can control the air! And he can fly now…it was like he asked the air to take him. I could practically feel it cushioning us as he moved.'

She let a small smile crease her lips as she remembered the priest's grope, and his kiss.

'He was so worried I would be frightened of him. And he was right to worry. But I saw him and I just knew that underneath everything, he was the same Miroku I've grown used to. The one I think I'm falling in love with."

She fell back onto her blankets to muse herself to sleep.

Videl lay in the covers shell-shocked.

'It's true, all true. I've finally seen a gold warrior transform, and I'm sure that it wasn't a trick. The power radiated off of him, and washed over me, through me. If it took Gohan all of that power to defeat Cell, my father is the most successful fraud on earth! Next to the Son family…how could they let him take the money they earned, leaving them poor?!'

Her tresses shook as she silently berated her father for his deception.

'Gohan! I wish you could have trusted me from earlier. Not that I deserved it the way I acted. I didn't like the way my heart shook around you. I mean, I cut my hair for you before I even knew what I was doing! Oh Gohan, I'm so scared of this feeling.'

But anger and confusion could not stop sleep from claiming her.

Miroku groaned as he watched the sun rise for the second straight day. He scrubbed his face with his hands, feeling the stubble on his cheeks and chin. 

'Kami, for just a little sleep!'

He turned to find two pairs of eyes, one gold, one black, peering into his face. 

He yelped and dropped back on his rear. Hard. 

The twitching vein above his nose swelled into prominence just before Inuyasha managed to grab him by the scruff of his neck and shake him like a rag doll.

"Na-n-na-na-nani?! Kuso, kisama bakayarou hanyou, drop me now!" 

Inuyasha complied, a little too abruptly. 

Gohan peered at the crumpled monk. 

"He looks the same," he declared, even as he sniffed the monk's ear rather loudly. "He smells like a human again." 

You would have thought that these two had learned better by now. 

**THWACK! THWACK!  TH-THWACK-TH-THWACK-THWACK!**

Many lumps stood up from the area between the ears of the two half-breeds. 

"He uses the staff the same," Inuyasha rued loudly, rubbing the new lumps. 

That paused Miroku's tirade. He blinked rapidly as he acknowledged the first time that Inuyasha hadn't threatened his life after being walloped. 

"I had you worried, didn't I Inuyasha?" 

It was Inuyasha's turn to let the veins in his forehead throb. 

"Your eyes turn purple, your palm starts glowing, you start manipulating wind, and you have a Kazaana you can control, AND THEN YOU ASK ME IF I'M WORRIED ABOUT MY FIRST MALE FRIEND?!?!" 

Miroku cowered behind Gohan, who cowered beneath the newly built shrine. Gohan could swear he heard someone laughing out _Inukkoro_. 

Miroku slowly eased from around Gohan, and slumped to the ground in a cross-legged position. 

"Inuyasha, I'm as clueless as you are. I was just…enraged. One minute I was thinking about how Sango is my soulmate, the next, I'm hearing she's in danger and my mind is like…a purple haze. Then, a door inside me opened. That's the best way to put it." 

"Oi, that reminds me, since when could you smell women in heat?" 

"Not just any woman, you silly pup, Sango. Sango is the first woman I have ever scented in my life. She's the only one I'll ever smell again. That's how I know she's my soulmate." 

"The whole _door to a greater power _thing is really familiar to me, but not even Krillin could do much with his pure human strength. So Miroku, when did a youkai bloodline mix into your lineage?" 

"I wish I knew Gohan. I really wish I knew." 

Miroku kept Souran's ravings to himself. He needed more time to ponder them. 

Gohan was highly upset by all the unsolved mysteries surrounding these people. He was beginning to consider this strange group of fighters his friends. They were his age, unlike the Z-senshi. They had hormones that were just as confused as his. And the last thing he needed to do was lose people who could relate with the problems he had dealing with _normal_ people, furthermore each other. 

'Hell, they even have fun like I do,' he inwardly smirked, as he watched Miroku tease Inuyasha about his comment. 

"Your first male friend? I'm so touched!" 

"Bouzu, if I hear anyone else with that I'll cut your fucking heart out!" 

"Ou, I hope Kagome won't be jealous…" 

"**Bitch**, I'm gonna tear your throat out through your ass!!" 

"Kinky…" 

"Ecchi!" **THUMP** "Hentai!" **THUMP** "Stop running away on that breeze and let me kill you!" 

Gohan sighed and followed _The Destructive Duo_ back to the village to clean up.

"You're almost as cute as Gohan in his Super Saiyan body…"

"Hey, **leave **me out of this!"

Inuyasha whipped his head back to the shrine once more. He was sure he'd heard someone mutter something familiar…

"_Look after Kagome, baka Inukkoro…_"

"Suck my cock, wimpy wolf," Inuyasha quietly responded, a slight smile on his face as he turned for home with the sound of canine laughter in his ears.


	8. Relaxations

Wishing Well

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or Dragon Ball Z. Even my pants are on loan. Don't sue me.

Disclaimer: This is my first fic. Expect it to suck. Don't hurt me.

Legend: "…" = speech

'…' = thought

~~~ = beginning/ending of flashback

The monk and the two half-breeds were comfortably settled in the hot springs.

"Ah, this is wonderful! The girls' kidnappings seem like a distant nightmare here."

 "Once again, I agree with you, bouzu." 

"There's nothing like a dip in a hot spring after a hard day," Gohan agreed.

"Aaaaaaaah!"

The three males sank lower into the water. Each one wore a satisfied smile of content relaxation. Each one was curling up to happy thoughts. Each was hit by a wave of the most wonderful scent he had every whiffed in his short, strange life.

'Tangy, so crisp. Like an early autumn day. Much like Sango…"

"That bold scent, jaunty, happy…kind of a bully. Smells of ripe fruit and Videl…"

"Hn…light scent, like fresh spring flowers. Innocent, but eager for life, just like Kagome…"

The realization hit each male at the same time. The response was the same as each male jumped out of the water in shock, forgetting their nakedness.

Kagome, Sango, and Videl stood stunned as the man of their individual dreams jumped up in surprise.

Does this scene seem remotely familiar to you? 

"Heat. Kuso, after everything that's happened, Sango's **still** in heat," Miroku whispered breathlessly, trying to breathe as shallowly as possible.

Inuyasha no longer had to waste time pondering why Miroku could smell the changes. And he'd be damned if he tried to control his instincts. Gohan stood oblivious to all but Videl, willing his mind to run on autopilot; letting his Saiyan instincts take over.

Of course, women just **have **to be unpredictable.

All of the women wordlessly stripped. That alone would be a problem for our heroic males, but then when the girls proceeded to jump into the springs…

'Goddamnit is she trying to kill me?!' was the thought that ran through our heroes' assaulted minds.

Videl grabbed Gohan's tail as he stood in shock. If that didn't stop his heart, she proceeded to drag him to the farthest, deepest end of the heated pool. And hey, who was he to stop her?

Sango snagged the youkai-monk by his dragon tail and forcefully moved him to the little island…well; rock, in the middle of the pool.

Which left Inuyasha and Kagome standing near the head of the hot spring. Alone.

Which made the hanyou exceedingly nervous.

'What's this girl up to now? I know that look in her eye…she's planning to sit me and drown me I bet.'

With those thoughts in his head, it could explain how he utterly ignored the fact that Kagome had stepped behind him.

She looked pensively at the skin on his back, trying to find any open wounds. Unfortunately, the hanyou's rigid, wary stance made it hard for her to ignore his muscles, which twitched nervously every once in a while.

"Oh stop, Inuyasha, I came to tend to your wounds and help you clean up. Now keep still."

That pretty much got his attention.

"No _osuwari, osuwari, osuwari_? No sitting, no hentai, no yelling?" he asked nervously, his ears twitching behind him to catch her voice.

Kagome blushed lightly, remembering her previous reaction. She took her soap and washcloth, and proceeded to massage his back.

"No, Inuyasha. I can't do that to my savior. Well, not today."

Slowly, under her gentle, cleansing touch, the hanyou relaxed.

When the companionable silence had stretched for some time…rather, when Kagome was finished cleaning and checking his back and shoulders, she slowly turned him to face her, her flushed face darkening even more.

Inuyasha looked down at her and remembered all that she'd confessed in the cave. She loved him. She told him this in his most dangerous form, and he saw nothing but relief and joy in her eyes at his arrival. He believed her. Oh how he believed, but there was a small problem…

"Kagome, Inuyasha no kokoro, I-I…"

Kagome shushed him with a finger on his lips. They both trembled under that brief touch.

"Inuyasha, I need to talk while I'm still bold enough to."

Inuyasha complied, his eyes completely mystified.

"Inuyasha, I…I have been in love with you for a long time now. You remember when I told you I would stay by your side through it all? I…that was the first time that I was sure. But you had already made your decision to join Kikyou, so I…couldn't tell you.

Something happened just before Gohan and Videl came. I was alone, under the God Tree. I was thinking, and trying…to sort my feelings out. Kikyou came to me."

At this, Inuyasha's breath entered his body in a ragged hiss.

"She questioned me. She badgered me. She asked me whether I could love you enough to stay here, away from my family, friends, everything I ever knew before you."

Inuyasha heard his heart slow in his chest. Each solid thump seemed to get further and further away.

"I told her yes. And then she said that I deserved you, and she…she left. She gave up the last of her soul."

Kagome looked down from Inuyasha's face as she said this. At least, she tried to. But large clawed hands stopped her face. They softly, yet firmly brought her eye back to his gaze.

Inuyasha's gaze broke through the last of Kagome's defenses. Tears welled into her eyes as the loneliness, the passion, the apprehension, and all the feelings that he had hidden from her poured through that gaze.

Nothing prepared Kagome for the kiss.

Inuyasha used his mouth to tell her all that he had felt throughout the past two years, but he abandoned the inadequacies of speech for a more direct method. His lips and fangs delicately nibbled and teased Kagome's closed mouth, mirroring the curiosity he had felt at first. When these actions caused her to gasp, his tongue cautiously ventured past her teeth, tenderly raking across the sensitive ridges and tips of her canines. His tongue slid past the tip of her own, and both jumped back from the touch. Tentatively, his ventured closer, and slid against hers again. Slowly, gently, he coaxed her out into the open, and she responded. When she got bolder, and jousted with him, he shrank back. Then, it was her turn to slip inside his mouth and tease him back into the open.

Suddenly, Inuyasha let his passion slip. He wrapped his arms around Kagome's tiny waist, hauling her up to his chest, pressing her against his total length. His mouth dominated hers, as he sampled her flavorful bouquet like an expert wine taster, taking small samples and rolling the intoxicating taste over his palate.

It took a while for the lovers' lungs to complete their desperate S.O.S. for air. They broke away, panting heavily. Kagome's eyes were bright and sparkling as she opened them wide. Inuyasha's pair was heavily lidded, with red-gold fire burning in them.

"Oh Inuyasha!" Kagome cried as she threw herself against him, tears springing unbidden from her.

"Aa, Inuyasha no kokoro. I understand. Wakata," he murmured, as he cooed and cuddled her to him.

The sky smiled gently down at the couple.

Videl found a convenient rock ledge in the far end of the pool. She eased her body onto the seat, never letting go of Gohan's tail. When she was reasonably comfortable and Gohan was standing to the left of her, she let go of his tail to grab his waist and push down on his hips.

Seeing as how Gohan was mildly inebriated on the feeling of his tail in Videl's silky smooth hand, he wasn't quite as steady as he should have been, and he promptly fell on his ass with a huge splash.

The impromptu geyser stopped to show two sopping wet black-haired teenagers laughing their heads off.

When Videl finally got her giggles under control, she threw a capsule at the nearby bank. In a poof, it revealed a washcloth, a large fluffy towel, soap, shampoo, and a comb, among other toiletries.

Gohan looked warily over his shoulder at the comb and shampoo. Despite his short cut, his hair still had a tendency to snarl. And he'd been around women long enough to see the _mission of cleanliness_ look in the young girl's eyes.

"Uhm, Videl, what exactly do you plan to do?"

'Fuck you perhaps?' she thought. "Well, you just spent about a day fighting wolves and stuff, so I figured you'd like a nice scrub. You may be the Great Saiyaman, but you still have trouble cleaning your back," she teased, as she rubbed the soap over his back.

Gohan grunted, and turned away again. She was right. It felt heavenly to have someone scratch that annoying area in between his shoulder blades that he **never** **could** scratch just right.

Videl worked contentedly, carefully checking Gohan's back and arms for breaches in the skin. He seemed to have escaped any injury.

'Typical. He's the same when he's Saiyaman.'

Suddenly, Videl felt a furry presence wrap around her thigh. She smothered her triumphant giggle as Gohan's tail continued to betray his true feelings.

Gohan was too absorbed in his thoughts.

'She still responds to me. I would never have believed it. I mean…I watched her at school and in her battles and in training, but I was too scared to get to know her. But it's as if I already know that she's the one. I don't want to endanger her though. My family and friends are always being called on to save Earth, and I don't want her to be threatened or killed because she's my woman. I need to ask her how she feels. If she's willing to take that risk…'

The electrifyingly smooth feeling of lather on his scalp lulled him into a daze. He leaned his head onto Videl's lap. So engrossed was he in her massage, he was unaware of her left hand traveling down his back.

That is, until she grabbed his tail and unwound it from her leg.

His eyes flew open, but he refused to move. He **couldn't** move.

Videl slowly stroked his tail, starting from the tip and flowing against the short dense fur to the base. She firmly circled the muscular base and then ran her soapy hand back to the tip, smoothing the fur back down.

She decided to follow the instructions on her shampoo bottle and repeat.

When she was finished, she cupped her hands and filled them with the warm spring water. She carefully poured the water onto his head, repeating her actions twice before the thick lather was completely gone.

Still Gohan did not move.

She gently used her hands push the tail under the water and stroke the lather out of it, gently squeezing it dry when she was done.

Gohan **still** did not move.

Videl became worried at his unresponsive nature. She really hadn't meant to be so free with his tail, but when it wrapped around her, she felt…

'Wanted. For the first time since dad fooled everyone into believing that he won that Tournament, I've felt more important than anything else. And, I wanted to return the feeling. Oh please, Gohan, you called me koi, please don't be mad at me.'

Gohan slowly raised his head from Videl's lap. He stood up very slowly, as if he was trying to control each minute movement. He turned and his eyes caused Videl to gasp.

Gohan was on fire. His eyes were still black, but the blue flame was back with a vengeance.

'That little temptress! She sits me down, and then uses those deadly hands on my hair, lulls my head into her lap where that, that…siren scent is calling me from, and then she practically fondles my tail clean! Then she expects me to be all ladidadeela when all I want is, is, is...'

Gohan's brain stop functioning as he roughly pulled Videl to him, literally sweeping her off of her feet. With his hands clasped tightly in her short hair and her full body weight supported on his forearms, which curled under her shoulders and over her back, he was in complete control.

She couldn't move if she'd even considered it. Not that she was thinking about anything much anymore.

Gohan growled, letting his overwhelming gaze scald Videl's exposed flesh. His eyes fell on her trembling lips.

Videl's breath was sucked out of her body as Gohan possessively claimed her mouth with his. He lashed and bruised her lips open, then buried his tongue deep within her, tasting every ounce of soft flesh within her orifice. He glanced over her tongue, paused, like a striking snake, then attacked, forcing her to feel his passion.

It was the most erotic thing Videl had ever experienced. Her own passion flared and she turned the tables on him, responding to his hard and silky caresses. Her arms moved around his neck of their own accord and she drew herself even closer to him.

Eventually they stopped, their lungs seared of any oxygen.

Panting, Gohan regarded Videl's sparkling sapphire eyes. He could see the love, but it was marred with confusion. 'She still isn't sure.'

Before Videl could speak, Gohan turned to sit on the rock ledge. He set her to kneel on his lap, and contented himself with holding her under his chin while gazing at the glorious summer sky overhead.

Sango tugged her…**the** monk to the half-sunken boulder in the middle of the spring. She let go of Miroku's hair in order to clamber up the rock, and took great care to find a comfortable position to seat her sore body in. She finally came to rest with her feet dangling in the water, the small ripples splashing her knees.

Miroku was still in the water, his head level with Sango's stomach. He looked intently at her as she squirmed on the rock. His eyes, which had returned to their normal chocolate-brown, feasted on her every erotic movement.

Until her container of soap-like plant gel embedded itself in his head.

While he soothed the growing lump, she placed her bathing supplies neatly to the left of her. When she was done, she took his hands from off her hips, swatted him with her open hand, and then placed his hands palm-down on her thighs, his fingertips lightly grazing her lower abdomen.

"Grope me, Houshi-sama, and the next time I do something nice for you will be when Inuyasha goes completely bald."

Miroku gulped nervously, even as his heart sank at the way she chose to address him. He was really beginning to hate the title _houshi-sama_.

Without further ado, Sango used the gel in the container to soap Miroku's hands and arms. When Miroku raised an eyebrow at her actions, she was quite straightforward in her answer.

"Houshi-sama, I've known you for two years. The **last** place that you'll **ever** get attacked is your back. You keep that and your chest far away from any enemy. That's why your weapon of choice is your staff. Avoids any confrontation that could mar your good looks."

Miroku grinned.

"Aa, Sango, you know me too well."

Sango smirked, and settled down to work. She briefly trailed her fingers along the back of his left hand before grasping it in her two. Using her thumbs, she firmly massaged the flesh between the bones, smoothing away much of the unconscious tension caused by grasping a staff for nearly twelve years. She moved over his wrist and forearm, scanning him for any broken skin.

Satisfied that her…**the** monk's left arm was not bitten, she moved to his right. She preformed the same treatment, then sat back thoughtfully to observe the semi-comatose monk.

He stood with his eyes hooded, a very serious expression on his face. He seemed to be pondering the events of the past day, and she did not like the expression creeping into his eyes. His hair hung limp behind him, framing his face. His stare turned to concentrate on his right hand.

Sango followed his stare, remembering the past two years. All of the days and nights when she watched Miroku in a similar position, albeit with clothing on, worry endlessly about his lifespan, or lack thereof. Some days later, his happy face and antics would seem nothing more than a brittle layer that barely kept the overwhelming doom away. On those days, she would make herself more accessible to his gropes or allow him to peek just a little longer than necessary, silently cheering him up.

Miroku was surprised when Sango turned his right palm up, and then placed the hand back on her lap. She seemed to be considering the hand. 'Wondering when the Kazaana will appear to suck her up probably,' he inwardly winced.

"I've never seen your right hand before, Miroku," Sango stated.

The statement was innocent enough, but Miroku was pulled alert by the husky undertone in her voice.

If that didn't get his attention, her fingertips whisking over the area once dominated by the Kazaana did.

Miroku hissed at the excruciating pleasure that drifted up his hand. He had not expected the removal of the curse to leave the skin there so sensitive. The new flesh and nerve endings jumped into action, causing him to catch Sango's hand in his own.

Sango, surprised by his reaction, slipped off of the boulder. Miroku wrapped his left arm around her hips to stop her from crashing into him, trying to avoid an accident that would send both of them underwater. She ended up standing in the water, pressed against him in an attempt to regain her balance.

They stood like that for a long time, just staring into each other's eyes. Tentatively, Sango shifted onto her tiptoes, and pressed her lips to Miroku's pair. He gasped, his mouth falling ever so slightly ajar, and she took that chance to gingerly run her tongue over his even teeth. Warmth suffused her body as Miroku cautiously mimicked her gesture, raking over her upper teeth.

Slowly, carefully, Sango deepened the kiss, exploring his mouth with an eagerness that made up for any skill she may have lacked. Miroku opened himself to her, giving her control, only using his tongue to herd hers back to areas that brought him pleasure once her initial inspection was complete. Still shy, Sango returned the favor, allowing him time to investigate her sweet oral cavity.

Finally satisfied, Miroku raised his head, allowing Sango to breathe deeply. He stroked his thumb over her soft cheek, trying to slow his heart.

"You understand, Sango, that I don't know what's happening to me."

"Hmm," she acknowledged, "But don't think that I will let you go and hide behind that happy mask anymore when I know your hurt. I'm here now, and I'll be here forever. I have no intention of losing you, so we'll just have to feel our way through this together."

Miroku tried to stop the treacherous tears from flowing. Sango only pressed him closer to her, twining her arms around his neck while resting her head just below his chin.

"I love you, _koikaze_."

Miroku stopped trying, as the sun wrapped the couple in a blanket of warmth.


	9. Promotions

Wishing Well

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or Dragon Ball Z. Even my pants are on loan. Don't sue me. 

Disclaimer: This is my first fic. Expect it to suck. Don't hurt me. 

Legend: "…" = speech

'…' = thought (usually)

~~~ = beginning/ending of flashback

The three couples eventually remembered to leave the hot spring. The girls blushed, the men grinned, and the ambience was one of friendship and love. The sun stood high in the sky as they dressed, and the playful males decided on a race back to the village. Miroku cheated, blasting Gohan and Inuyasha back with a wild gust while he took off in the other direction. The death threats spewing from the half-breeds' mouths may have encouraged him to keep running though. The girls followed more sedately, planning their outfits for the upcoming festival.

Our six young protagonists spent the remainder of the day resting and preparing for the festival the next day. The men finally finished chopping the required logs and soaked them in water to render them fire retardant. Then they built four large walls with the soggy logs, effectively designating the bonfire area. The women went to work finishing their kimonos, preparing foods, and helping the villagers clean. In an attempt to keep Shippou and Kirara from being underfoot, Kagome sent them to bathe in the nearby stream, handing the kitsune her shampoo and soap. The furry beings scampered off eagerly.

The evening meal saw everyone but the kitsune and the cat in Kaede's hut. The males were the only ones still eating, and Gohan was ahead by 17 packages of ramen.

"INUYASHA!!!" came racing through the air, the kitsune's shriek followed by a flying russet ball that attached itself to said hanyou's face. Kirara ran behind Sango, growling fiercely at the door.

With an ease born of much practical experience, Inuyasha pried the kitsune off with his chopsticks, throwing the irritating bundle towards Gohan. Gohan, following the self-preservation instinct of a hungry Saiyan male with siblings, used his tail to stop the kit's flight, and threw him across the room to Miroku. The monk, having just discovered his youkai instincts, didn't react as gracefully as the others. He was soon covered in fox fur and ramen.

"Oi brat, what is it? I'm still hungry and if I don't eat now, Gohan's Kazaana mouth will leave me with nothing," Inuyasha muttered, slurping a noodle between his teeth.

"Wolves!" the kitsune managed to squeak, "Those two youkai that used to follow Kouga plus the rest of the red and black wolves!"

The way the men responded, you would have thought that they were never there.

Following their noses, the three pulled up just outside the village.

"We can smell you, so you might as well come out now. I am **not** in the mood for any games," Inuyasha barked, his ears and nose actively searching for any attempted ambushes.

"Inuyasha-sama, don't hurt us! We're here in peace!" came one voice.

"Well then hurry up and show yourself, I'm still hungry!" Gohan yelled peevishly. Saiyans do **not** like being interrupted during a meal.

"At least let me go back inside, I'm soggy and I smell like chicken soup," Miroku muttered angrily, squeezing ramen out of his robes.

Kouga's underlings, Ginta and Haggaku came from the surrounding gloom. Behind them stood the remainder of the northern black wolves and the southern red wolves.

Inuyasha and the others dropped into defensive stances, ready to fend off a vengeful attack.

That could explain why their jaws hit the ground when all of the wolves knelt down and began groveling.

"Inuyasha-sama, your victory over Kouga, along with the victories of your companions over the northern prince Nii and the southern prince Souran, makes you the overall leader of the wolf clans," Haggaku stammered, his face low to the ground.

"We have come to congratulate our new lords, and do their bidding," Ginta continued, as he groveled before Inuyasha's clawed foot.

Three pairs of eyes blinked incredulously.

Three noses sniffed the air around the wolves, checking for the slightest signs of advanced rabies. All of the wolves appeared sane, and their smell registered them as fit and in desperate need of a bath.

"FFFEEEEEEHHH!!!!"

The cry of the irritated inu hanyou echoed off of the mountains.

**STOMP. ****STOMP. **STOMP**.**

Kagome, Videl, and Sango blinked as the males came into the room. Miroku entered the hut first, kicking Shippou away from his bowl of food and returning to his place to eat the cold noodles. Gohan arrived next, his face set to cry as he realized that Shippou managed to finish his food while he was gone.

Given these arrivals, could you blame the girls for being a tad apprehensive of what entered the hut last?

Inuyasha's bangs hid his eyes, but irritation rolled off of him in palpable waves. Each clawed hand held a wolf youkai, and furry shapes rolled around his feet.

"I. Said. Stay. **OUTSIDE!**" he snarled, turning his glare to the mobile fur blanket.

In roughly five seconds, only two wolves were in the room, and they were stuck in Inuyasha's grip.

Two shapes went flying through the air to land in a huddle in the center of the room. Inuyasha stomped back to his spot by the door and accidentally sat on Shippou, who ran to Kagome for comfort while the dog demon folded his hands in the sleeves of his haori.

"Alright you two, start talking, and don't think of moving or I'll kill you so fast you'll walk home before your bodies realize they're dead."

Ginta gulped nervously before beginning.

"W-well, you see, we were on a hunt with Kouga to find food for the clan when we came on a couple of boars. They looked dazed, so we moved in 'cause a dazed animal is a nice cheap quick kill."

"But as soon as Kouga made his grab for the closest boar, instead of running away, it turned on Kouga and gored his upper arm," Haggaku continued, trying his best to comply to Inuyasha's command not to move, even though he was face down on the ground. Again. The added weight of Ginta didn't help.

"The boar then started foaming and stuff, and it still couldn't stand very well. So then, Kouga tried again, but then the other boar bit him on his other arm, near his elbow.

When Kouga saw the other boar start drooling, he ordered us to retreat. We didn't understand why, but we always listen to Kouga."

Ginta took back up the threads of the tale.

"When we got back to the cave, Kouga ordered us to get spears to kill the boars. We were confused, so we asked him why we needed the weapons. He told us to just do it and make sure that they didn't bite anyone else, and then burn the bodies to ash.

We followed his orders, and we came back to find him still standing outside the cave. He told us to keep safe until he returned, then he ran off. He was gone for months."

Inuyasha grunted for them to continued, and prodded Haggaku into a sitting position with Tetsusaiga's hilt.

The mohawk-wearing youkai started talking again.

"It was three days ago that Souran and Nii came. They'd heard that Kouga was sick, and they didn't waste any time issuing the Challenge, saying that Kouga was a _scrawny ill-bred runt_, who should never have led a clan."

Kagome, ever kind, brought the last of the ramen for the fearful duo. The flat hungry glares from Inuyasha, Gohan and Miroku made them yelp and cower, until the girls, uh, addressed the problem.

"Osuwari," Kagome idly tossed over her shoulder, feeling Inuyasha on the verge of an angry tirade, "Let them eat then they can finish the story."

Bonk. "Miroku, calm down. This will give you a chance to change. Here, I already found you a clean mai you can use."

"Aw, dammit, what did **I** do?" Gohan whined as Videl squeezed his tail.

"You're still hungry and you're looking at those two like appetizers. I have my lunch from training still, you can inhale that till they're done."

The three irritated men sulked out of the hut, led by Inuyasha's loud, "Feh!"

Approximately fifteen minutes later, a slightly more tolerable group sat inside of the hut. Gohan and Miroku sat under the windows near the door, while Inuyasha sat in the doorway itself. The three had been doing things like that lately, working in unconscious harmony.

The girls sat against the back wall, where they were busy reorganizing Kagome's pack. Shippou and Kirara were busy playing shadow puppets on one of the free walls, while Kaede tidied her belongings along the last wall.

Ginta and Haggaku were back in the middle, licking their bowls as clean as possible.

"Arigatou gozaimasu onee-sama!" they chimed to the girls, who smiled brilliantly.

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed, and he barked at them to continue. Literally. Barked that is.

At the sound, Ginta hurriedly began again.

"Kouga came back that same night. He called for us, he wouldn't come inside and he wouldn't let us near him. He asked why the other wolf clans were here. So we told him about the Challenge.

He went quiet like he does when he's thinking hard, then he muttered something about two birds with one stone. After that, he told us about his madness. He said it was from those boars he made us kill with long weapons."

While Ginta tried to control his grief-stricken voice, Haggaku finished the tale.

"Kouga told us that he'd thought up a plan that would be for the tribe's best, but now he had to modify it to take care of Nii and Souran. He told us to busy ourselves with training for the leadership tournaments. Since those fights only happen when the clan leader dies, we kinda guessed that…that he intended to..."

Inuyasha waited very patiently.

"Nothing else?"

The two wolves shook their heads.

"Ano," Miroku began, "I don't see how Inuyasha became Lord of the Mountain Wolf Tribe by his actions."

Ginta looked at Haggaku, who looked back at him nervously.

"Well, uhm, you know that howl that you lords gave before you went inside?"

Gohan's eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"Oh no," the demi-Saiyan started, "You can't tell me that we issued Challenges to the…"

"TO THE ENTIRE HEAD OF THE MOUNTAIN WOLF TRIBE!!" Inuyasha completed, his gaze an inferno of annoyance.

The wolves nodded, huddling away from his ire.

"Your lands, Inuyasha-sama, now stretch from this village, through the forest, and over the entire mountain range. They run next to Sesshoumaru-sama's borderlands."

Inuyasha stared briefly, and then began banging his head on the hut floor.

They managed to stop Inuyasha's head banging before Jaken's voice rang through the area.

"Arararara. Make way for Sesshoumaru-sama, kisama wolves."

Inuyasha jumped up, growling.

"Miroku, go reintroduce your fist to Jaken's head. Ginta, Haggaku, tell the wolves to retreat. I'll summon you later. Gohan, come with me!"

A whirlwind announced their departure. The girls wasted no time in preparing themselves for battle, Kagome lowering her quiver of arrows over her head, Sango changing into her working outfit, and Videl slipping on her training gloves.

A chorus of howls rose to the sky, and the village was abruptly bereft of the slightest presence of wolves.

Jaken, who was on the verge of toasting a number of wolves with the Two-Headed Staff, suddenly found himself flung away by an unnatural gust of wind. A kindly thorn bush stopped him.

"Itai, itai, itai! Where did that wind come from? I was about to clear the way for Sesshoumaru-sama and the air was still…AAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEE!!"

Two violet eyes peered down on the ugly beaked toad.

Inuyasha and Gohan, who were following Sesshoumaru's scent, winced as they heard the familiar crack of the monk's staff.

They screeched to a halt as a hideous smell filled their noses.

"Kuso, he's brought that oversized ogre with him again. Gohan, change to your youkai form and lead it away from the village."

Gohan nodded as he powered up, calling the ogre's attention. With an enormous roar, the huge beast swatted at the demi-Saiyan, who merely flew back, then threw a Kamehameha along the outstretched arm. When he was sure that the ogre had him back in it's sights, he zoomed away from the village. The dumb brute roared again before following Gohan's trail.

Inuyasha stood still in the dark, eyes, nose and ears working to pick up his brother.

"Kisama, I know you're there, now come out. I've been having a bad day, so don't get me started."

"I'm amazed you even know what day is, otouto. Your human bitch may actually be able to improve your intelligence."

Sesshoumaru regally floated down in front of his annoying younger half-sibling. He cocked his head slightly as he sniffed him.

 "So, it's true. You took the Mountain Wolf Tribe as your followers."

Inuyasha snorted in disgust.

"Their leader was mad. He tried to use me to end his misery and stop his rivals. He didn't expect me to rule the wolves."

"Ou? So you mean to say that you have no interest in the land? It is good to know that you aren't so presumptuous as to think a wretched hanyou like yourself should rule over youkai. You won't mind _giving_ it to your onii-sama, will you?" Sesshoumaru stated nonchalantly, even as he raised his poisonous right hand.

Inuyasha grinned as he flexed his claws.

"Hn, I may not want to rule, but I'll be thrice-damned if I let my _dear_ brother take what is now mine."

Miroku landed next to Inuyasha, a lumpy-headed, unconscious Jaken in his right hand and his staff in his left. He threw the toad at Sesshoumaru's feet.

Sesshoumaru didn't even glance down as the pile of green lumps and warts rolled past him. He narrowed his glare on Miroku.

"Hmph. You are truly a worthless hanyou, brother, that you've kept company with offal like that bouzu for so long. Even if he isn't all human."

Gohan returned to land on the other side of Inuyasha. His hair and eyes gleamed brightly against the night sky. A ki leash in his hand traveled upwards to wrap around a certain struggling ogre.

Sesshoumaru's eyebrows quirked up a millimeter.

"Hmm? So, brother, you really have found a rare saruyoukai hanyou. One stronger than you."

Inuyasha grunted, then pulled himself upright from his aggressive crouch.

"So, you just came to see if the rumors were true. Well they are. The monk can work wind, the hanyou is from a different world. Satisfied? Or are you nervous that I may make a foray into your lands, hmm?" Inuyasha smirked.

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed again at Inuyasha's taunt.

"The day that this Sesshoumaru fears a kisama hanyou such as you and your worthless group will be the day this Sesshoumaru kills you all. I will let you play king for now, but when I think you overstep yourself, you will die."

Sesshoumaru rose gracefully into the air as he spoke, then turned for home.

"Sesshoumaru-sama! Wait for your loyal Jaken!" the green lump cried, as Gohan loosed the ogre so that it could follow its master. The trio watched them until they were far out of sight.

They met the girls and Shippou riding Kirara on their way back to Kaede's hut. They all turned back to the village as Inuyasha related what had occurred.

"Wow, Inuyasha, you actually sound like a real lord now. Especially with the way how you ordered everyone to their positions and they obeyed you!" Shippou cried, "Who ever knew a baka like you had the…"

**BONK**.

Miroku frowned thoughtful.

"Now that you're a minor landlord, Inuyasha, we should probably post sentries along your borders."

Gohan nodded in agreement.  "If that was your, uhm brother's…"

Inuyasha's snarl somehow formed the word _half-brother_.

"…half-brother's response to the news, you can be sure other youkai are not going to be happy, especially other wolf youkai."

By this time the group was once again in front of Kaede's hut.

Inuyasha sighed miserably, then grabbed Kagome, who gasped in surprise as he planted a swift, harsh kiss on her lips.

"Bouzu, monkey-face, we leave in ten minutes. You better spend some time with your women." Inuyasha muttered irritable, before he uttered a harsh bark for the wolf clans.

Gohan whined as he tickled Videl. He curled her to his chest, his arms around her waist, and her stomach's warmth on his fingertips.

"Kuso, Inuyasha can't you just trust Ginta and Haggaku…" he trailed off as he remembered the duo, "Che, never mind that idea."

"There is no rest for the wicked," Miroku muttered, as he smothered Sango's face with sloppy wet kisses, ignoring the lumps she left on his head.


	10. Titillations

Wishing Well

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or Dragon Ball Z. Even my pants are on loan. Don't sue me. 

Disclaimer: This is my first fic. Expect it to suck. Don't hurt me. 

Legend: "…" = speech

'…' = thought (usually)

~~~ = beginning/ending of flashback

In the early morning drizzle, a dark shape could be seen trudging towards a small village.

A sound. The shape stopped, seemingly to wait. It was soon joined by another dark shape.

The two shapes trudged on to the village, seemingly unaware of each other's close presence.

A breeze. The two shadows stopped. A third shape dropped out of the gray sky.

All three shapes moved towards the village without so much as a word.

The sun rose, unexpectedly it seemed. The three shapes morphed into colors. Red and white lead the way. Navy and purple followed. The rearguard was blue and orange.

"Kuso, damned rain, damned wolves, and damned half-brother," the red and white spot snarled. Light fell on the speaker's face, to reveal a wet, exhausted Inuyasha.

"I'm a priest, or I'd know more words to accompany yours," the navy and purple blob agreed, the voice betraying him as a drenched and somnolent Miroku.

The blue and orange smear on the landscape yawned broadly before responding.

"The English language has tons more words. Bullshit, fuck, motherfucking ignorance…let me sleep and I'll remember more for you," the muffled voice of Gohan murmured.

The trio trudged onwards.

Kagome peered drowsily as she heard the noise again. She sat up, rubbing her eyes, as she smiled at the familiar sound.

"Sango-chan, wake up, the boys are back."

Sango all but jumped from her blanket.

"Videl-chan, they're back!"

Videl sat up suddenly, wincing as the sunlight streamed through the hut.

"How can you two tell?" she mumbled sleepily.

The faint sound of miserable grunting trailed through the window.

"Oh. Never mind," she smirked, as she put up the futons.

Kagome scurried around, dragging her pack out to find some more food. Sango teased the smoldering fire into a merry blaze, warming the rain-cold room.

"Tadaima," Inuyasha yawned, his mouth almost swallowing the remaining features of his face.

The others trudged into the girls' hut, mumbling something that sounded similar.

Their sleep-bleared eyes opened wider at the scene.

Before them was a cheery fire, which started drying their rain-soaked bodies. A pot of instant soup stood bubbling over the fire, and three of the most beautiful women alive sat before them, holding three warm blankets.

"Ohayo!" chimed the three visions of beauty, as they covered the men with the blankets.

'Heaven,' Inuyasha sighed inwardly, 'I've died and I'm in heaven. No one's taken care of me like this since Mother died. It must be heaven.'

After everyone was seated and the males had consumed four bowls of soup each, Kagome urged Inuyasha to give a report.

"Gohan led us all over the place, since he seems to know the area in his time," Inuyasha began, licking his bowl as he talked, "I didn't realize that the mountains stretched so far, and I've got some interesting rivers and springs flowing through them. It's good land."

Miroku took up the thread of conversation at this point.

"We had to search all over for the wolf boundary marks, destroy them, and then let Inuyasha leave his mark. Fortunately, Ginta and Haggaku knew them all, or else we'd **still** be up there. Then we had to leave an offering at Kouga's shrine, and relocate the wolf clans near there. Kouga's spirit should shield the tribe once they care his shrine." 

"Kouga even had a message for me from my dad," Gohan continued while handing his bowl to Sango so she could fill it up, "He said to tell Kaede hello, and kept trying to get me to tell him what happened. After I calmed him down, I told him we'd be back tomorrow with a surprise. He said that he and mom went to tell your dad, but he was bu…he wasn't there. Then we came home." 

Videl nodded absently. She knew the truth; her father probably wasn't even home when Gohan's parents went over. Hell, even if he were home, he wouldn't be worried in the least. He never seemed to care about what she did as long as the press approved of it. Then it hit her. 

'Wait a minute, what does he mean _Kouga had a message from my dad_?!' she thought, as she regarded Gohan with shock. 

Sango sat there staring at Gohan with wild eyes. 

"Ano, Gohan, isn't it somewhat unnatural for your father to be able to communicate so freely with the dead?" 

Gohan laughed uproariously. 

"My dad's been dead twice, and every member of the Z-senshi except me and Yajirobe has seen the check-in point of heaven. We practically have reserved seats in the waiting room." 

Inuyasha and Miroku shuddered as they remembered the way the shrine had glowed while Kouga's disembodied voice gave Gohan the message. Hell, even Kouga's spirit had sounded awe-struck and dumbfounded. The spirit had secretly confided in the two that Gohan's father and friends were regular legends in the dimension of the dead. 

The others drew away from him with queer looks on their faces. Their foreheads were decorated with enormous sweat drops. 

"What? So my dad has a connection to dead people! Is it so weird?" 

"Of course not!" Kagome assured him nervously. 

Gohan pouted.

"Anyway," Videl said, taking the bowls away from the men to be washed up, "the festival starts later today. We have a lot to do before then, so we've got to start the day now." 

"That's right," Sango agreed, as she put the garbage in a plastic bag for Kagome to throw away in her own time, "I've got to finish the obi for the kimono."

"And we have to help the village women prepare the feast," Kagome added, turning away to gather the girls' bathing equipment.

They turned back around to find the boys snoring. Inuyasha's feet kept twitching like he was chasing some prey. Miroku's hands kept groping imaginary women. Chewing noises occasionally marred Gohan's light snore.

The girls tiptoed quietly out. Kagome stopped back for a second to rub Inuyasha's ear and listen to him purr in delight. In his sleep, he smiled.

The first thing Inuyasha noticed when he woke up was the presence of a large pink ball. The second thing he noticed was the dark sky through the window.

"**Baka Inuyasha, wake up! Kagome has left you for Shippou because you won't come to the festival, you…**ITAI!!"

Inuyasha removed his hand from Shippou's retransformed head and stood up from under the blanket that had been thoughtfully draped over him.

"Baka, dress and stop exposing yourself to everyone!" Shippou screeched at the hanyou, who stood scratching various body parts. Kirara, who stood in the doorway, demurely covered her eyes with her front paws.

Gohan's eyes cracked open as Miroku _accidentally_ brought his staff on top of heads of Inuyasha and Shippou.

"What's wrong?" he yawned as he sat up, stretching.

Shippou turned to scold Gohan about his nudity, considering the thin strip of blanket that barely covered the area between his thighs and his stomach.

"Shippou is waking us up just in time for the festival," Miroku replied, as he pulled a large bundle from just outside the hut.

"And how could you go outside like that?!" Shippou squealed, as the monk opened the parcel.

"Baka kitsune, everyone's by the bonfire," Inuyasha commented, "Bouzu, what's in the parcel?"

"Our clothes. It looks like the girls laundered them for us."

Inuyasha's face blushed as red as his haori.

'Kagome undressed me to get my clothes while I was asleep! And I was too tired to notice? Baka, baka, baka, baka…'

As they dressed, Shippou sat in the doorway sharing a rice ball with Kirara, muttering to himself.

"I dunno why they like these goons, Kirara. I mean, when I thought Inuyasha was gonna be all noble like a landlord should be, ordering Gohan and Miroku around like two trusted, responsible lieutenants, I was gonna tell them about the things I noticed about the girls today, but now he's being his baka self again and the monk is being mean and Gohan is being baka too, so there's no way I'll…tell…them?"

Shippou felt eyes on his back. He turned around to face brown, gold, and black orbs blinking at him.

"Eeep!"

A large clawed hand reached for his tail, dragging him up into the air. A brown tail shot out to grab the rice ball that fell from the kit's hands, and the nervous jingle of rings came from somewhere.

"Now, brat, what exactly did you notice, hmm?"

Inuyasha gulped nervously as he stared at the scene before him. Miroku laid a reassuring hand on his shoulder, as Gohan comforted him verbally.

"Now remember what Shippou told us, Inuyasha. We can do this, no problem. Just remember that the first time is the worst."

Inuyasha gulped again.

Miroku really wasn't in a better state than Inuyasha. For all of his boasts throughout the years, he really didn't know that much about the subject, and he couldn't believe he was even in a position to find out more. Surprisingly, Gohan was the most levelheaded of them all at the moment.

"Gohan, how are you keeping control?"

Gohan shrugged.

"I'm kinda focusing all of my instincts in one direction to avoid the other outlet. I don't really have an option."

The others nodded sympathetically. The full moon hung in the sky like a giant paper lantern, illuminating the world.

'And yet,' Inuyasha thought breathlessly as he gulped again, 'the moon seems to be a spotlight on the single most important thing on earth.'

A quick glance at his companions hinted that they felt the same way he did. Inuyasha smirked, and turned back to the scene.

Kagome, Sango, and Videl were dancing before the bonfire, nothing but the wild countryside behind them. They sang as they turned this way and that, rounded arms tapering to slim long fingers that wielded delicate paper fans with the precision of an artist before his canvas.

Kagome's obsidian hair fell in waves over her shoulders, framing her delicate face. Her bangs lay silky straight, shading her bark-brown eyes. Her lightly tanned skin glimmered in the firelight, as her cherry blossom lips moved to form the words of the song. Her graceful neck flowed down to reveal a fire red, gold embroidered kimono wrapped around her lithe body, tied by a pink obi that matched her lips and presented her bosom in an alluring manner. Slits in the long sleeves showed flashes of the white yukata underneath. Inuyasha's breath caught in his throat as he watched her graceful sway, his eyes turning a warm honey-red at each movement.

Miroku's eyes darkened to a glimmering violet as Sango swept the fan through the air before her. Her hair flowed like an inky ocean over her back, complimenting the violet kimono she was wearing. Her eyes were heavy-lidded as her chocolate gaze reflected the bonfire's light. Some unknown internal heat lightly flushed her pale skin, and her even teeth showed between her coral pink lips. The blush continued down her neck, disappearing into the gold-bordered collar of her kimono. Below the golden obi, which accentuated her fine waist, intricate slits in the kimono revealed her dark blue yukata underneath.

Videl's sapphire gaze shimmered over the bonfire. Gohan licked his lips reflexively as she turned towards him, giving him a glorious exhibition of her unleashed beauty. Her short hair had been arranged to closely follow her face, curling slightly beneath her ears. Her ebony bangs dusted her thick eyelashes as she hooded her eyes, her lips were plump and deep pink, and her skin glistened with peach overtones as she hummed the tune. Her slender throat shivered as she hummed, gently shaking the orange collar of her yukata and her blueberry kimono; below the orange obi, which outlined her feminine soft hips, the gold trimmings on the hem rippled.

The dance ended, and the three males shook their heads as if they had just been released from a trance. As the girls made their way to their seats, the men seemed to come to an agreement of sorts. Then, they moved to join the beauties below.

"Konbanwa," Kagome uttered huskily, her voice barely above a whisper. She struggled to say more, but the way that Inuyasha's molten lava eyes were staring at her caused her mind and throat to constrict.

"Please, join us," Sango invited quietly, suddenly shy before the liquid heat of Miroku's violet gaze.

"I-we're glad you came," Videl stammered, willing her heart to stop racing as Gohan's eyes lightened to an intense flaming blue.

The untransformed Tetsusaiga could cut the sexual tension between each couple. Shippou carefully cleared his throat, breaking the stress to announce the arrival of dinner.

As the couples ate, Shippou secretly winked at Kirara, who winked back. After all that they as a group had gone through before Naraku's death, and considering the huge cookie that Gohan had bribed him with, they all deserved a little happiness now. That's why the two pint-sized criminals plied their friends with just enough sake to lower their inhibitions, then sat back to watch the fireworks. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Flashback ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I didn't notice anything!" Shippou wailed, trying to get out of the hanyou's grip.

The three pairs of eyes didn't even blink.

"Well, not much."

The clawed hand shook him like a leaf.

"O-o-k-k-kay, okay! I'll tell!"

Shippou was dropped like a brick.

"The girls want you," Shippou grumbled sourly. "They want you tonight. And they don't want you to hold back."

Miroku blinked, then smirked.

"Out with it, Shippou, tell us something we **don't** know."

Shippou gulped.

"What'll you give me if I tell you?"

Inuyasha spewed various threats, while Gohan thought for a moment before feeling in his pocket for a small capsule.

"Shippou, have you ever tasted cookies," he inquired.

Shippou shook his head apprehensively.

"I'm giving you my emergency supply here," Gohan warned. "This is one my mother made for me, so you **better **have good information, or I'll make you wish Inuyasha got you instead of me."

Shippou's mouth watered as he answered. If Gohan was saving the food, it must be good.

"I can tell you all their fantasies. The ones girls don't even tell their friends."

Inuyasha blinked.

Miroku blinked.

Gohan blinked.

The capsule popped open to reveal a cookie roughly the size of two Shippous.

"Start talking."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Flashback ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gohan abruptly rose, holding his hand out to Videl. Her arm trembled as she reached out to him, and she gasped as he drew her flush against him. A low growl rumbled from his throat as he bent his head to capture her lush lips. Slowly, he used his ki to levitate into the air, then, without breaking his grip, he wrapped his tail around her waist. At the touch of the furry appendage, a low moan issued forth from those same lips. In a flash, Gohan was flying away from the fire, a brilliant beam in the dark night, destination unknown.

As Sango turned to Miroku to ask him what was going on, she felt a slight breeze caress her cheek, causing her to pause, mouth slightly agape. Miroku's intense look caught her eyes as surely as if he were holding her face, and she shuddered under the scorching heat oozing from them. A slow smirk graced Miroku's lips as another breeze smoothed the back of her neck. As she gasped, Miroku dove like a hunting hawk, snatching his luscious prey between his lips. A sudden whirlwind obscured them. When it cleared, the couple was gone.

Kagome spun her head around to look at Inuyasha in alarm. She lost all coherent thought when her eyes fell on Inuyasha's pair. The look in them was feral, as if he could barely restrain his own instincts. He was panting lightly, and he seemed to taste the air around her.

"Inu…Inuyasha?" she choked out, falling into the crimson depths of his eyes, "Wh-what are Miroku and Gohan going to do with Sango and Videl?"

Inuyasha raised a claw, tracing it down her left jaw, making her mewl as desire ran rampant through her veins.

"They're going to mate, koishii Inuyasha no kokoro. They are going to go somewhere private, where none can hear their screams of passion. Somewhere beautiful and safe, where they can mate until day breaks, where their desires can run rampant," Inuyasha purred into Kagome's right ear, making her shiver with each syllable. "Somewhere where they can let their deepest, darkest fantasies come true."

"Will you do that to me, Inuyasha?" she breathed, causing his purr to roll deeper in his chest. He stood swiftly, scooping Kagome into his arms.

"Hai," he replied, kissing her fiercely as he bunched his legs under him. He was still kissing her when he sprang towards the God Tree.

Hours later, the sun was greeted by passionate moans of love.


	11. Return

Wishing Well

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or Dragon Ball Z. Even my pants are on loan. Don't sue me.

Disclaimer: This is my first fic. Expect it to suck. Don't hurt me. 

Legend: "…" = speech

'…' = thought (usually)

~~~ = beginning/ending of flashback

The midday sun blazed over the tiny village next to Inuyasha's forest. Inside one hut, six people were packing a large yellow knapsack. Two small figures ran in circles in one corner of the room; in the center of the commotion sat a calm elderly woman. Finally one of the six figures was able to close the bag, although it took seven tries and much swearing. Another figure grabbed the bag and threw it on to its back.

"Ano, Inuyasha, are you **sure** you can carry that pack?" Kagome asked, examining the hanyou's posture critically. "You really exerted yourself last night and…uhm…over the past couple of days," she added lamely, blushing as last night's events ran through her head.

Inuyasha's smug chuckle brought her back to reality. His gaze had started to turn a warm honey color as he hefted the pack once again.

"After…the past couple of days," Inuyasha started, smirking when Kagome's blush deepened, "I could carry the village on my back and not feel it."

Kagome's face looked like a ripe tomato as Inuyasha chuckled again, and then bent his head to lightly nip her nose.

"I hate to interrupt you lovebirds but we kinda need to hurry," Sango stated, happy but impatient with curiosity.

"Ou, so you aren't a love bird too, koitori?" Miroku asked innocently, even as his hand groped Sango's buttocks familiarly.

While Sango stood blushing, unable to swat the monk behind her and not even **daring** to look into the eyes that she knew would be glimmering violet, he grinned broadly and kissed her temple.

"At this rate I'll **never** get home," Videl muttered impatiently.

"Hmm, we are on vacation Videl, we have at least two more months," Gohan murmured huskily in her ear, as his strong hands took the futon she was moving out of her grasp. He smirked as he heard her gasp.

Inuyasha overheard the comment, and asked Kagome a nagging question.

"Vacation? Is that why you stayed here so long this time Kagome?"

"Mmhmm, I don't have to go to school until the universities respond to my applications."

Inuyasha hid his eyes with his bangs.

"How long Kagome? How long until you leave me again?" he murmured, barely loud enough for her to hear.

Kagome blinked, then placed the broom she had just picked up back in the corner. She cupped Inuyasha's cheek with her hand, bringing him closer.

"Inuyasha, it is my time, and I know you don't like it, but I don't want to go there alone now. I need you to come with me. I won't leave you waiting here alone.  And I promise, we'll spend just as much time on this side of the well as we do on my side.  When my schooling is finished, I'll live here permanently.  Is this good enough for now?"

Inuyasha's bangs moved up, then down, a bare fraction of an inch.

"Hai," he assented, rubbing his cheek into Kagome's warm palm, seeking comfort from her touch.

"Candy! Chocolate! Hurray!" Shippou chanted, utterly ruining the moment.

"Oi, brat, this isn't a party or parade or holiday outing, we're going to Gohan's world because his friend Bulma can examine us for the wild madness and stop it before it goes too far!" Inuyasha snarled at the russet fur ball, obviously upset about the change in mood.

"It is good to see that you remembered that, Inuyasha, but there is another reason for you to travel. Remember that the new moon will come in a few days. Considering the events of the past few days, I think you and the Shikon no Tama need to be somewhere safe. A different world with plenty of strong warriors willing to protect you is as safe as you can get," Kaede reminded him.

Inuyasha grumbled at the mention of the accursed moon cycle, as Gohan asked Miroku for details.

"During the night of the New Moon, Inuyasha's youkai blood wanes, and he turns fully human. He's very vulnerable in that state, as he cannot use Tetsusaiga," Miroku explained.

"Well then, Inuyasha now has three reasons to come to my time," Gohan reasoned, "One: to get tested/treated for rabies. Two: to hide out from his enemies while he is vulnerable. Three: to train with me so that he can protect himself during the next New Moon."

"Nani?" Inuyasha grunted grumpily, "What's all this training shit?"

Gohan frowned thoughtfully at Inuyasha's gruff response, before he realized the problem.

"You've never had a sensei have you, Inuyasha?"

"Feh. Who the hell would want to teach a hanyou how to defend or attack better, hn? Just to make it harder to kill him?"

"Well that ends right now! From today, you have a sensei who will teach you how to use the basics to make your own fighting style!" Gohan assured the hanyou, determination gleaming in his eyes.

"Well I can't do that here, so let's go!" Inuyasha grumbled, even as his twitching ears showed his curiosity at the prospect of proper training.

He turned to the door and uttered two harsh barks. In a few minutes, Ginta and Haggaku appeared, bowing low.

"Oh stop that," Inuyasha spat irritably. "I'm going to be gone for a while, about one moon cycle. Keep the clans in line and patrol the borders. Keep this village safe and don't let anyone mess around near the God Tree."

"Hai, Inuyasha-sama!"

"Dismissed."

With his lands taken care of, Inuyasha and the others turned towards the east. Kagome took her usual position, leaping onto Inuyasha's back and balancing the weight of the overstuffed pack. Videl was once again piggybacking on Gohan, who used his tail to latch her on securely. That left Sango and Miroku, who had no intention of letting his woman go today.

"Mou, Miroku, I can ride Kirara," Sango pointed out, literally, as Shippou sat on Kirara's now broad back.

"That's nice dear," Miroku replied benignly, totally ignoring her. He turned his back to her, grasped her hands, and then brought them up to entwine his neck. Before she could argue, light breezes billowed under his feet, pushing him into the air.

"Baka!" she murmured, blushing at the proximity of his back after last night's deeds.

"Hmm, I call this revenge for your, ah, _forceful_ markings in that area last night," Miroku threw over his shoulder, causing her to blush more.

"You're still a baka," she mumbled, lightly nipping the back of his neck.

Miroku shuddered.

"Stop that, koitori, or we won't get there at all."

Sango looked like a cherry as they flew to the well.

An hour of traveling brought them to the clearing.

Inuyasha sniffed the area as he entered the glade, making sure that no surprise attacks were in store for the group. Satisfied, he let Kagome slip off of his back as Gohan, Miroku, and Kirara landed. Inuyasha stood thoughtfully for a few moments, then turned to the others.

"I really should claim this glade," he murmured, his eyes unfocused.

"Baka! Now that he owns a little land, he thinks he's a real lord, and he's trying to grab more land. Greedy," Shippou said wearily, shaking his head.

Bonk.

"Itai!"

"Osuwari!"

"Bitch…"

Miroku sighed. 'It seems some things will never change.'

"I'd claim the stupid land so I could keep others from near the well, kisama brat. That way no strange youkai or people will go hopping back and forth between the worlds," Inuyasha grumbled around a mouthful of dirt.

"Oh. Well, that's a good idea," Shippou conceded as Kagome helped Inuyasha to his feet. "That's a surprisingly good idea coming from you."

Bonk.

"Itai!"

"Osuwari!"

"Kuso…"

Miroku and Gohan helped Inuyasha up again while Kagome went to console the kit, who was busy whining to Kirara about mean hanyous who would stunt his growth because they were such bakas. Suddenly, they felt it.

"The well," Videl yelped, as she felt herself inexplicably drawn to it, "It's pulling me in!"

Gohan wrapped Videl's small hand in his.

"Looks like we're here in time. Ready?"

Sango held a now small Kirara in one arm, her other intertwined with Miroku's right hand. Kagome held the kit to her chest as Inuyasha's arm crept around her waist.

"On three," Gohan yelled to the others, "One, two, and three!"

Videl and Gohan jumped into the well, followed swiftly by Miroku, Sango, and Kirara. Inuyasha paused to make sure that no one was following them, then allowed Kagome and Shippou to tug him into the well. 

The well opened like a gaping maw to swallow them in darkness.

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_ FIN _~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_ WELL, MAYBE NOT_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

The darkness was absolute, yet it seemed to roil about the company.  There was no heat or cold, nothing could be heard or felt.  The only sensation was a feather-light mental recognition of the flow of time.  Gohan now understood how he and Videl fell into Inuyasha's world without noticing any changes.  The whole atmosphere was slowing sending him to sleep…

Miroku woke with a start.  One minute he, Sango, and Kirara were jumping into an old well; the next minute he was feeling bright hot sunlight on his eyes.  He got up carefully, reluctantly releasing Sango's hand.  A quick survey of the area showed him the dozing forms of the party at the bottom of the well.  Bright sunlight streamed in from overhead.  Squinting, Miroku turned his face upwards, catching sight of a bright, cloud-filled sky, with the sun high above.

Inuyasha's red form crept quietly beside Miroku.

"Nothing **looks** different," the former monk noted.

Inuyasha took in a large puff of air, and immediately passed out.  The loud thud he made as he crashed to the ground woke Sango and Gohan up.  The demi-Saiyan took a moment to scratch his butt, and stretch.  He rolled up to his feet and padded towards the other males.  He absently wondered what made the loud noise until he saw (rather blearily) the semi-comatose form of Inuyasha.

"Hey Miroku, what's up with him?"

"I don't know.  He was fine a minute ago, then he breathed in deeply and woomph, out like a light.  I haven't seen him like this since the Evil Ink Incident."

Gohan, who had paused to yawn and clear his head, soon joined Inuyasha on the floor.  The loud thump he made succeeded in waking up Videl.  She blinked rapidly, trying to clear the fuzz in her vision.  After a few minutes of blinking and squinting, she finally caught sight of Miroku poking two prone figures with his staff.

"Miroku, what's the matter with them?" she asked worriedly.

"I think they are being overwhelmed by a scent in the air.  While I'll admit that the atmosphere **is** slightly more aromatic…"

"You mean foul, don't you?"

"Well I wouldn't want to be disrespectful to your own dimension, Videl-sama."

"Cheap flattery again, Miroku?  I thought I beat that habit out of you," Sango blandly stated, Hiraikotsu in her hand.  Despite her habit of sleeping lightly, she became **very** irritable when roused violently.  Kirara was rolled onto her back, scratching her nose and sneezing.

"Iie, koitori, cheap flattery was bred into me.  But to be serious, I can't believe this light stench would cause Inuyasha and Gohan to faint.  I mean, I can do the same thing and I'm sure I'll be fine.  Observe."

In the shake of a lamb's tail, a swirly-eyed Miroku joined the other men on the ground.  By this time, Gohan, who had been used to the smell for a number of years, had managed to rise to a sitting position.  Inuyasha had just managed to roll onto his stomach and slowly raise his throbbing head.  However, Miroku's rather violent descent to the ground finally caused Kagome to pry her eyes open.  Kagome, acting on the instinct borne of two years' worth of traveling with Inuyasha, released a sleepy _osuwari_ and started stretching.  The anguished howl of the hanyou finally roused Shippou.

"Kuso, wench, my nose already feels like it's been bent out of shape!  And you, brat, I'll beat the snot out of you if you don't stop laughing!" snarled the unfortunate inuhanyou as he craned his battered head from the spell-induced crater.

Kagome, finally paying attention to her surroundings, saw Sango fanning the air in front of Miroku, while Videl helped a groggy Gohan and Inuyasha to their feet and Shippou alternated between laughing wildly at Inuyasha and holding his nose in discomfort.

"What happened?  Is everyone ok?"

"Oh, nothing much, I just happened to get _sat_ for no good reason."

"Gomen, Inu-kun, but you're usually the one interrupting my sleep."

"That's cuz you sleep like the dead and I'm the only one who can survive the pain of trying to wake you up!"

"Mou, what was that baka inu?!"

"Kuso, bitch, when you go to sleep a tsunami could crash over your head and you wouldn't notice!"

"Watch it, baka you're treading around a good session of…"

"You say that accursed word and hurt my nose anymore and you can forget about _Fang Tag_ tonight!"

In an attempt to drown out the violently arguing couple, Sango and Videl turned their attentions to the slowly reviving monk and the demi-Saiyan.

"Gohan the air has never smelled this bad before."

"On the contrary, koi, it has **always** smelled this bad, it's just that we're so accustomed to it that we've forgotten about it.  After four days of inhaling the relatively clean air in Inuyasha's world, the reek of smog has become obvious again.  Be thankful we weren't in the city, or you girls would have to roll the rest of us to an oxygen tank!"

"So why were you three unaffected at first?  You only collapsed after a huge gulp of air," Sango inquired.

"That's cause we weren't quite awake yet.  A big breath, however, caused our olfactory organs to be over stimulated; furthermore, there are a number of chemicals in the air connected to that stench that can cause **human** noses to burn.  The hypersensitive inner linings of our noses were in a whole lot of pain as a result."

"And that's why, wench," Inuyasha muttered as he stomped over to the others with the pack over his shoulder and a fuming miko under his arm, "I now have a massive headache, so stop annoying me!  Gohan, how'd you stand this stinking _smog_ shit so long?  No wonder you couldn't smell me when you first arrived."

 "Your nose should compensate soon.  Just breathe shallowly for a while."

"You mean breathe like a human."

"Exactly."

"Feh!"

"Now, Inuyasha…" Kagome began as she squirmed herself out of Inuyasha's loose grip

"Oi, I wasn't the one talking just now!"

"That was me," uttered a grumpy voice from the ground.

Sango's eyes blinked rapidly as the irritated monk stood up.  She had to have imagined that.  She **refused** to believe that Inuyasha's trademark expression had just slipped through the lips of her lover.  She stared at her long-time fellow traveler/mate as he started up an angry tirade, idly wondering if she'd hit him one too many times with the Hiraikotsu.

"Now I have to re-learn breathing like a human.  Hu-fucking-rrah!  I wonder what other joyous surprises my bloodline has in store for me.  First I spend 20 years wondering when the family curse is going to kill me, now I've got youkai blood wandering about my veins on some twisted pilgrimage.  Only Kami knows…"

"It's Dende, actually.  Kami sorta retired.  But don't be too hard on him, he's still kinda new to the whole deity thing."

Everyone but Gohan blinked in astonishment as they tried to locate the origin of the voice.  They realized that the demi-Saiyan was staring at the top of the well, the patented Son grin on his face.  Their eyes scaled upwards to find two brilliant Son grins reflecting the sunlight.  The faces behind the grins were identical, as were the hairstyles above the heads.  The only difference between the two visages was that one was the eight-year-old version of the other.  A quick look between Gohan and these two new figures revealed the blatant resemblance.

"Hiya, Tousan!  Whassup, Goten?"

"Yo Ani-chan!  You had Kaasan worried!"

The others were surprised to see Gohan flinch.  Considering his past, he should be immune to fear.  His father and brother just snickered.

"Don't worry son, my head broke the pan this morning."

Gohan's grin would have lit up Las Vegas.

"Now hurry up and get outta there, Chi's almost done cooking lunch and the _Royal Saiyan Pain in the Ass_ is at the house!"

"Bulma is there too?"

"Yup, plus 18, Krillin, Piccolo…the gang's all there!"

Videl still wasn't sure what happened, but somehow all eight of them were suddenly in the small clearing surrounding the well.  She saw Gohan drop the yellow pack and a loud red bundle on the ground, then bounce from one foot to the other in excitement just before Goten jumped into her lap, enthusiastically hugging and kissing her.

"Oi, nee-chan!  You smell like Ani-chan," the youngest demi-Saiyan whispered suspiciously.  Videl's face was immediately painted in a flattering shade of firehouse red.

"At least you didn't have to hear the two of them.  I couldn't sleep all night!" Shippou complained loudly, having overheard the comment.

"Finally!  I swore I'd have to lock the two of them in a box or something!"

Inuyasha smirked, Miroku, who'd finally revived, grinned, and the girls giggled coyly.  They all held the older demi-Saiyan back, allowing Shippou and Goten to escape, while Goku proceeded to scoop the young warrior girl up in a huge, spine-shattering bear hug.

"Welcome to the Son family, Videl!  I knew Gohan wouldn't chicken out of it this time."

"Tousan!" wailed the poor teenager, his face a bright crimson that complimented his mate's current complexion.

"What?  Chi was wondering if you'd ever stop ruining the blankets," Goku called out over his back, a large smirk plastered all over his face.

"You've been sparring with Vegeta too long."

Goku started to agree, when he caught sight of Inuyasha.  Videl suddenly found herself on the ground.  Inuyasha just as suddenly found himself gasping for breath as he heard various vertebrae pop under the unexpected pressure.

"**Inuyasha!!!!!**  You're alive, you're alive, you're alive, you're alive, you're alive…!" the (allegedly) adult Saiyan began to chant, jumping up and down and crushing the poor hanyou.

"Not for long if you don't lemme go, baka!" Inuyasha managed to gasp, feeling like a branch in a typhoon.  He swore he could hear his brain rattling in his skull.

"Oops, sorry," Goku replied, letting Inuyasha crash bonelessly to the ground.  Gohan and Miroku were rolling on the floor in laughter as the hanyou probed his back for crushed bones.

"You two are looking for a pounding," he grumbled as he picked himself up, waving off Kagome's helping hand.  "When I can feel my back again, I'll…"

Suddenly, the clearing was filled with a huge roar, a sound so loud and frightening that the birds left the treetops in a squawking flurry of feathers and Inuyasha shut up instantly.  Everyone had a large sweat drop over their forehead as the three Saiyans held their stomachs.

"Looks like we're ready for lunch, even if it isn't ready for us," Goku chuckled out, as all three Son males stood with the trademark grin on their face and their hands behind their heads.  "Could you hold off beating up my son and…uh…"

"Miroku," the monk supplied.  "Since your son doesn't seem capable of making introductions."

Gohan remembered his manners and quelled his laughter.

"Lemme tell you everyone's name, then we can go eat.  Miroku just saved me an introduction, and you already know Videl and Inuyasha.  The girl with the oversized boomerang," here Gohan paused to dodge a wayward blow from the taiji-ya, "is Sango and the other one in the school uniform is Kagome.  The fox boy conspiring with the squirt is Shippou, and the little cutie rubbing your leg is Kirara," he finished, as Goku bent down to scratch the cat's back.

"Pleased to meet you all!  I'm Son Goku and this is my younger son, Goten.  Welcome to 21st century Chikyuu!"  Here he paused and cocked his head to a side, as if listening intently.  Chuckling, he turned his attention back to the others.

"Chi Chi's anxious to see her new daughter-in-law and her son's new friends, so I'm inviting all of you to come and meet the rest of the gang."  Everyone readily agreed; after all, they **had** come specifically to meet Bulma and ask for help from her and Gohan's fellow warriors.

"Instant Transmission, Dad?" Gohan asked, grabbing Goten by the back of his pants with one hand and cuddling the (re-) embarrassed daughter of Hercule under the other.

"Yep.  Everyone grab hold of someone else."

Inuyasha threw the pack over his shoulder and reached out to embrace Kagome with his free hand.  Shippou scrambled onto his head while Miroku tucked Kirara safely in the crook of his elbow and wrapped his other arm around Sango's waist.  Kagome and Videl linked arms with Sango, who stood in between them.  Goku looked around approvingly, then slapped a reassuringly strong hand onto his elder son's shoulder.

The clearing became serene once more as Goku raised his free hand to his head and the entire group winked out of existence.


	12. Irritations

Wishing Well

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or Dragon Ball Z  In fact, I don't own much of anything, so don't sue me.

Note:              Saru no Oujo   -          Princess of Monkies

                      Inu no Oujo     -          Princess of Dogs

                      Taiyoukai        -          _Great Youkai, _taken to mean a great youkai lord.

                      Che                -          Uhm…cussing O*_*O

                      Teme              -          Uhm…more cussing   O#_#O

Legend: "…" = speech

'…' = thought (usually)

~~~ = beginning/ending of flashback

"Kakkarot, you moron, get off the chess board!  What in the seven levels of hell possessed you to use me as your target ki?!"

"Gee Veggy, I'm sorry if I ruined your game, but I didn't want to end up in the food!"

"**Don't call me that, bakayarou!**"

"Gee Veg, I'm sorry!  I'll make it up to you with a really good sparring session, ok?  Anyway, gotta introduce my new daughter-in-law to the lil' harpy, be right back!"

Goku sped off to get his wife, not allowing Vegeta to see or hear his mirth.  Teasing the Saiyan no Ouji was too much fun to resist, even if he did respect him.  In his wake, he left his son and the newcomers to introduce themselves to the assembled company.

"Feh, now I know where you get your manners from, monkey-face," Inuyasha teased, watching the demi-Saiyan's face turn bright red in anger.

"At least I don't bark all day, dog-breath."

"That's cause you're hanging off of branches and peeling fruit!"

"Oh you asked for it!"

"Ah, before you beat him up Gohan, could you introduce everyone?" Krillin asked politely, his eyes bright with ill-suppressed humor.  Gohan embarrassed was the second funniest thing on earth as far as he was concerned.  Only Vegeta's snapping and snarling over Goku's latest stunt was funnier, even if it did ruin their chess game.  Not that Krillin really cared, he was losing anyway.

"Eh, gomen Krillin.  The girls, from left to right, are Kagome, Videl, and Sango.  They're human," Gohan began.

"Since when were those bitches human?" Inuyasha quietly asked the monk, who gave him a jab in the side to shut him up.

"The cat in her hands is named Kirara. The guy in the blue and purple robes is Miroku; I don't really know what he is now, but when we met, he was a bouzu…ah, a monk.  The cute yet annoyingly big-mouthed brown furball is Shippou, a kitsune youkai.  He doesn't know it yet, but he and his new cohort-in-crime, Goten, have a lot to answer for," here, the six young people glared at the two chibis, who squeaked and shrank in fright.  Gohan continued.

"And the soon-to-be-dead thing in red is Inuyasha; he's an inuhanyou."

"It is an honor to meet you," Miroku replied with a bow, the others following suit.  Well, everyone but Inuyasha that is.  He turned his back on the whole lot of them with a loud "Feh!"  That earned him solid jabs from Hiraikotsu, Miroku's staff, and Kagome's bow, forcing him to turn back around and grind out the welcome.  Krillin analyzed the inuhanyou's antics and made a mental note to treat Inuyasha like a chibi Vegeta.  He turned his thoughts back to the assembled teens.

"Oh, no need to be so formal, really.  My name's Krillin, and this is…"

"Vegeta, Saiyan no Ouji, and I expect to be treated as such," came the curt answer.  Ah, Vegeta the socialite.

"Don't go getting on high and mighty cause you're a prince, ok shrimp.  That title is overrated," Inuyasha snarled at the Saiyan no Ouji, who was, for some strange reason, irritating him to no end.

'The voice, the demeanor, and that hairstyle, everything about this saruyoukai noble gets on my nerves.'

'This thing in red is trying my patience; he better learn how to start begging for mercy.'

Isn't it amazing how annoying you can find yourself to be?

Vegeta negligently grabbed the teenage demi-demon by his collar, then turned back to Gohan.  He started talking, giving the cur a good shake every once in a while, as a form of punctuation.

"What the hell is this thing, brat?  One of the results of those filthy bestiality acts perpetrated on that smut you call the Internet?  How the fuck could you find something that is suppose to be a human and a dog at the same time?  Whatever it is, its father must have been a mongrel and his mother a whore.  And that hair!  He looks more like a girl than Zarbon ever did.  What'd you bring him here for, brat, to be a living Barbie for Cueball's spawn?"

Krillin was amazed, Gohan was getting angry, Miroku was wondering why the level of jaki in the air was rising, and everyone else was too busy watching Vegeta's twisted smirk and listening to his tirade to notice that someone's eyes had gone sly and reddish gold.

Vegeta felt the weight in his hand sag, and he threw the brat down, convinced that he'd scared some respect into the mutt.  He didn't really mean those things he'd said, as Goku and Krillin had spent the past couple of days explaining what youkai and hanyou were, but he would not allow anyone to openly mock his title as Saiyan no Ouji as long as he had breath in his body and the Dragonballs existed.

"Let that be a lesson to you, brat.  Treat royalty with respec…!"

Inuyasha's clawed hand bit into the back of Vegeta's neck, and the prince was hoisted off the ground.  Gohan and Krillin watched in astonishment as the prince actually struggled in the hanyou's grip.  Gohan knew Inuyasha was strong, but strong enough to hold down an untransformed Vegeta?  That was a big shock.  Krillin was just shocked that someone would be brave enough, or stupid enough, to retaliate against Vegeta.

"Listen to me saruyoukai, I was named Inuyasha no Ouji, second son of Lord Inutaisho.  My father was a Taiyoukai, a ruler over many lands.  My mother was a hime, the daughter of a strong human warlord.  Furthermore, she was a miko, a damn powerful one at that.  Royalty doesn't mean one shit when you've been driven from your home, seen your family killed, and been on the run from the time you could eat solid foods.  Remember that Monkey King."

Inuyasha released the Ouji and glared at the others, who stood there in shock.  This was the first time they'd heard so much about Inuyasha's past.  Kagome's heart shattered at the way his voice sounded; so bitter and full of self-loathing.  She knew that she'd have to spend a lot of time talking to Inuyasha and tending those raw scars of the past.  Gohan and Krillin were busy trying to solve another problem; namely, how to stop the Saiyan no Ouji from killing the young inuhanyou.

"Honey, I'm home!"

"Oh Goku, I should never have let you watch that old American comedy," Chi Chi giggled, wiping off her soapy hands.  Having her son home and mated had caused a complete change in her mood.  The woman, whose voice usually caused the strongest being in this particular quadrant of the universe to quake in his boots, had mellowed out completely.

'Of course, that could also have something to do with last night," Goku thought smugly, kissing his wife's temple as he wrapped her up in his huge arms.  She squirmed in his grip; the big imp was tickling her!

"Behave Goku, you know we'll have company soon!"

Goku mentally registered 3 sets of ki and a hint of metallic tang in the air, which actually meant that four people were showing up, especially if things were going as scheduled.  He gave the notorious Saiyan smirk as he covered his wife's protests with his warm lips.

"Consider it revenge for all the times we've walked in on two certain couples," he murmured just before he kissed her.  Passion flowed between the connection, causing sparks to fly.  Literally.  Both fighters had started powering up as Goku expertly teased all of his mate's weak spots

'20 years of practice have made you damn near perfect,' Chi Chi pondered hazily, heat suffusing her face as a sexual fog descended over her.

'Heh, think that fighting is the only thing Saiyans learn?' he replied smugly, flooding the bond with his images from the previous night.  He barely remembered what he'd originally come in the house for.

"For Dende's sake, get a room you two," Bulma whined mockingly, rolling her eyes to the heavens.  "You do know that Vegeta heard you from Capsule Corp. last night?"

"You're a good one to talk Bulma, Krillin and I almost went deaf on the island."  Eighteen's face appeared behind a huge stack of shopping bags as she navigated through the doorway.

"All three of you were loud.  Poor Ox-king jii-san couldn't sleep, and Master Roshi and Oolong kept talking about how they were gonna set up cameras next year," Trunks added, blowing away a large purple cowlick that kept dropping into his eyes.  Even though he was talking, his mouth remained firmly wrapped around a chocolate that was shaped like a crescent moon.

"And poor Puar couldn't get a single transformation done.  But he let me brush his tail fur back down!" piped the roundest, rosiest, cutest little blonde girl ever seen in this dimension; namely, Marron.  Amazing, she was speaking around a large red heart-shaped lollipop that puffed out her cheeks.

Goku pulled away slowly, still smirking as he watched his wife and the others blush under the comments.  He let his wife return to her dishwashing as the other women put up the groceries they'd bought to replenish the Son family's stores.

'But its oh so hard,' he thought hungrily, watching his wife's rump as she finished her chores.  Well, he was watching until a frying pan landed on his head.

"Che where'd that come from?!  I thought I broke the last one this morning?" he whined, rubbing the lump now riding high on the back of his head.  He looked around for his assailant, his eyes finally landing on Bulma.

"Some friend you are, nee-chan," he grumbled.  Since when did she start picking up Chi Chi's bad habits?  A wrench was one thing, but cooking utensils can hurt people you know!

"Well you and Vegeta need to learn how **not** to stare at us like fresh meat after a fast.  Besides, weren't you supposed to be watching out for Gohan?"

Goku blinked.  Now why did Gohan's name trigger the feeling that he'd forgotten something important?  Gohan, Gohan, Gohan…

"Oh yeah! He's with the others in the picnic area!"

"NANI?!?!?" Chi Chi screeched, her eyes ablaze.  "He's here and you didn't tell me anything!"

Goku cowered before her wrath.  Sure she was gorgeous when she was angry, but when it came to her children, she was like a force of nature.  Goku bared his teeth in the Son grin, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

"I wanted to make sure you were ready to meet them.  Besides, I couldn't resist teasing Vegeta."

"Goku!!  Now I'm going to go out there and hafta listen to his raving!" Bulma shrieked.  Vegeta had a tendency to bitch about things for a long, **long** time.

"All I did was disrupt his chess game with Krillin!"

"Oh joy, now I'll probably have to listen to Krillin laughing about it all night.  You know how he loves anything that irritates Vegeta," droned the female android as she stuffed a large sack of rice into a bin.

"Well come and take the food Goku, while I finish my hair, then we can go."  Chi Chi had left her hair down for once, leaving it free of the tight, conservative bun.  The wavy black tresses fell down the middle of her back to the tip of her buttocks, with natural reddish highlights adding volume to the already thick locks.  Goku loved to watch her hair sway in time with her hips, much like how a tail would move to help balance its owner.  He stopped her hand as she reached for her hair.

"Don't.  Just come.  Its much more beautiful like that," he murmured, his eyes ablaze.

Bulma rolled her eyes and leaned to whisper into Eighteen's ear.

"We better pack the food ourselves, before these two start again."  Eighteen grunted in agreement.  She'd seen that look in her husband's eyes too often.

However it took the children to break the couple's reverie.  Trunks, who'd been yanking on Marron's pigtails, ran up Goku's back as the cute little girl became a cute little demon, screaming brimstone and hellfire down around the demi-Saiyan.  Goku winced as Trunks teased Marron from the safety of his head; children tend to forget the strength of their grip when holding onto hair.

"Naaaaa!  Stupid girl!"

"Mama, I wanna kick his ass!"

"Don't pick up your father's bad habits Marron," Eighteen drawled, picking up the furious girl.  "Goku, we're ready, lets go."

"But you told Master Roshi that that's what you'd do if…"

"Let's go, Goku.  NOW," Eighteen growled, slapping her hand over her child's blabbering mouth.

"Ok, ok!  You all know what to do," he said as he wrapped an arm around his mate.

Bulma tucked the last of the 15 food capsules into her pocket, plucked her son from his perch on Goku's back, then linked arms with Eighteen and Goku.  The two children ran to hold onto Goku's legs, then all of them disappeared…

…to reappear right in the middle of a brawl.

Eighteen grabbed Bulma and Marron and flew to safety with Trunks close behind her.  Goku threw Chi Chi into the air, and called for the Flying Nimbus to catch his wife.

Which was about all he could do before the brawl landed on his head.

Chi Chi, safe on the Nimbus, watched nervously as the dust cleared.  Through their bond, she could already tell that the situation was slightly more serious than it appeared because of one factor.

Goku was pissed.

Soon the severity of the situation became clear to everyone else when bodies started flying.  Miroku and Krillin, who had gotten involved in an attempt to talk sense into the two Princes, landed painfully in the surrounding woods.  Gohan had attempted to get in between the two combatants, only to end up with his father's elbow in his stomach.  And what of the two quarrelsome oujis?

"Teme!  You third-class bakayarou let go of me!  No one shall dare disrespect the Saiyan no Ouji!" Vegeta roared, hissing and spitting like a wet cat as Goku's hand dug into the latex-like material of his clothing.  The other Saiyan was holding his prince as far away from his provoker as his arm could extend.

"Kisama, release me!  I'll teach this saruyoukai the meaning of royalty!" Inuyasha snarled, clawing wildly at the empty air between himself and his opponent.  Goku held him by the scruff of his neck, stretching his arm as far away from Vegeta as it could get.

Goku's eyes narrowed as he discovered the source of the brawl.  He sought a swift end to the bickering that had nearly flattened his wife, friend, and godchild.  With a very twisted smirk, he brought his hands together.  Hard.

**CLUNK**.  **CLUNK**.  **CLUNK**.

'Go-chan, I'm fine,' Chi Chi communicated to him, trying not to laugh at the way he was inflicting pain on Vegeta and the strange silver-haired teen.  'You can calm down.'  Goku grunted in acknowledgement, almost all of his fury dissipating.  But he needed to put the two rivals in their place.

"And if you two little bitches start up again, I'll treat you all to a sample of my taiko drumming skills!" he hissed venomously before dropping them.  He folded his legs beneath himself and sat on the ground with a grunt.  His initial fall under the weight of the brawlers hurt more than he was willing to admit.  While he was used to Vegeta's weight, having sparred with him almost everyday for the past four years, he hadn't expected Inuyasha to weigh so much.  He looked so scrawny in his baggy clothing.  He forgot about the slight pain as he turned to address Vegeta.

"You do realize that you nearly killed my wife, Bulma, and Marron?"

Vegeta grunted.  Sure he was upset about almost squashing his wife, but he'd be damned if he apologized to her in public, especially in front of _The Albino Inu no Oujo_.

"And you, Inuyasha, you shouldn't have goaded him into a fight, and you know it."

"Feh!" the inuhanyou replied, turning his back on the whole assembly.  Sure, he was sorry about causing a ruckus and almost killing the human females, but there was no way he'd openly apologize to anyone, and the possibility of an apology lessened precipitously with _The Undersized Saru no Oujo _present.

Goku frowned.  He knew that nothing short of death would get these two hard-headed men to apologize.  What he didn't anticipate was the willing help of the men's mates, who were stalking towards the little trio with scowls marring their pretty faces.  Kagome and Bulma were obviously furious, and their glares scared the chibis into fits.  Even Trunks began to tremble as Goten, Marron, and Shippou tried to hide behind him now that he'd landed.  Even Vegeta and Inuyasha seemed to flinch as their women approached.  Goku winced.  Sure he was mad at them, but the women sometimes went a little too far.  He saw his concerns mirrored on the faces of Krillin and Miroku, who had finally come back from their landing places, and Gohan, who was busy rubbing his stomach where his sire had poked him.

The two proud princes glanced at each other, and came to an agreement; they'd finish the fight another time, with no spectators.  For now, each of them had to worry about what devious punishment their beloveds had devised.  It didn't help Vegeta that his lower back was aching, as if a vertebra was out of place.  With the look on her face, there was no way he'd get her to massage him tonight.  His scowl deepened.

The women were towering over the princes now.  Eyebrows twitched as they coldly regarded the men for some time, death and destruction appearing to be a definite promise in their eyes.  Their mouths opened; Gohan and Miroku flinched, anticipating a vigorous round of _osuwaris_.  Krillin and Goku braced for the _Shriek of the Storm_, followed by the thump of the _Wrench of Wrath._ So when the two females clutched each other and collapsed laughing, you can imagine their surprise.

All of the men present blinked.  To say that this reaction was unexpected was an understatement.  Slowly, more feminine chuckles could be heard.  Chi Chi was biting her hand, trying to stop her mirth from leaking out.  Eighteen wore a delighted smirk as her snorts of concealed merriment grew louder.  Sango, ever polite, was holding onto Hiraikotsu for dear life in an attempt to not be rude, but Videl's suppressed cackles in her shoulder were no help whatsoever.

"You should have seen the way you got played Veggy!" Bulma howled, tears streaming down her face.  That did it.  All of the women present dissolved into gales of laughter, rolling on the ground over each other.  It is a scientifically documented fact.  Women will laugh at the minor pains their husbands suffer and the way in which they are acquired; furthermore, only they will understand what the hell was so funny about the whole issue.

"They did look like a pair of oversized bell clappers, didn't they?" Kagome shrieked, kicking her heels on the ground as another fit of laughter racked her frame.

"Oh hun, you should consider becoming a professional cymbal player," Chi Chi gasped, holding onto the shaking forms Videl and Eighteen for support.  "And your face when they all landed on you!  And my poor little boy; he looked like an empty sack when he got elbowed!  I hope he stands up better than that normally Videl!"

"Not like when the bouzu went flying," Eighteen said breathlessly, Sango nodding her head vigorously in agreement.  "That was too hilarious!"

Inuyasha quietly leaned over to whisper into his rival's ear, his own ears flattened against his head under the barrage of feminine frolics.

"I will never understand bitches."

Vegeta nodded, leaning over to reply.

"Just count your blessings that they're laughing."

The other married men nodded sagely, Goku's head bobbing so hard that it threatened to pop off of his neck.  Women.

"Hey Trunks-kun, remind me never to grow up.  Adults are **strange**," Goten whispered to his best friend as the chibis watched the adults from a safe distance.

"That's my next Dragonball wish, Goten, my very next one."


	13. Consumptions

Wishing Well

Disclaimer:      Je n'own pas Inuyasha ou DBZ.  If they were mine…hold, wait; this story **is** what'd happen if they were mine.  Hrm.  Anyway…don't sue me. 

Legend: "…" = speech

'…' = thought (usually)

~~~ = beginning/ending of flashback

It took a while, and a lot of complaints of hunger from men and chibi alike before the women controlled their laughter.  Even then, snorts and muffled chortles could still be heard as the women spread out the picnic blanket and unpacked the food from the capsules.  Bulma wryly remembering the struggle that she and Eighteen had trying to stuff the groceries in their few capsules and the car trunk; why did she have to forget Chi Chi's grocery capsules when shopping for 2 Saiyans, 3 demi-Saiyans, and a number of humans with enhanced metabolism?  She only hoped that there would be enough food for the newcomers; judging from the way that the priest and the silver-haired canine version of her mate were staring, you'd think they'd never seen food before.

Which wasn't exactly true.  Inuyasha had, of course, seen food, just not so much at once.  Well, not so much at once that was staying still.  Small herds of deer just about constituted Inuyasha's version of a buffet, and most villages of the Sengoku Jidai couldn't cultivate enough food for themselves most years, let alone provide festival banquets.  Throw in a life spent in hiding and on the run, and Inuyasha would assure you that two years ago, after he met Kagome, was the first time he'd ever truly eaten since the early years of his life.

Miroku, on the other hand, had never even dreamed of this much food.  He knew that he, Shippou, and Inuyasha ate a lot for people from their time period, but all of them would stop well short of filling their stomachs; besides, he was also a born and trained priest, who could easily fast for a week once there was drinking water nearby.  Add in the fact that monasteries are not terribly famous for large banquets, and the depression that came from walking the world with a curse on his head, and you could understand why most of his meals were spotty.  He had been amazed at the amount of food that Gohan ate, wondering how the demi-Saiyan had stayed alive if he needed to eat so much.  The food on display answered his questions.  And the aroma!  Inuyasha was licking his lips in an attempt to keep his mouth from openly watering, and Miroku was using the sleeve of his robe to wipe away the saliva that crept down the corner of his mouth.

 Shippou, being a chibi, had no reservations whatsoever.  He drooled.  Copiously.  Not that he was alone; Goten and Trunks flanked him, eyes bugging out as they watched their mothers unpack the baked desserts.  The food had captured the undivided attention of the three boys, leaving Marron and her dolls to their own devices.  The little girl pouted, stepped over the large rivulet of boy drool, and toddled over to her mother and Chi Chi.

"Mama I wanna learn how to cook like Chi Chi-san," the little girl said in a tremulous little voice, tears in her eyes.  She wrapped her chubby arms around her mother's leg, seeking comfort.  The boys had left her with no one to play with, and she often felt lonely being the only girl born into the Z senshi family.

Eighteen and the other women turned to look at the weepy little girl.  Her face was so sad it just about broke their hearts.  Kagome rummaged through her pack to pull out a pack of Pocky, and, looking to Eighteen for askance, offered the treat to the lonely child.  Eighteen nodded her permission, then crouched down to hug her daughter.

"Now my little dream, why would you want to cook like Chi Chi-san, hrm?"  Eighteen didn't show this softer side in public very often, but her family was about the most important thing in the world to her.  If Marron or Krillin asked her for a sunny day so that they could tan better, she'd realign earth.  She'd nicknamed Marron her _little dream_, as she'd never imagined that she'd be a wife or a mother.  Her birth had banished any doubts Eighteen had about her choice not to destroy herself.

"Look at all the boys!  I wanna control boys too!"

The women, startled by this response, looked up.

From the smallest chibi, namely Shippou, to the oldest man, namely Vegeta, the men were lined up, eyes locked on the food, drool of varying degrees slipping down all of their faces.  Bulma moved the haunch of roast beef in her hands to the left.  Nine pairs of eyes slid to the left.  She moved it back in front of her.  All eyes center.  She slowly brought it down almost to the ground. All eyes down.  Bodies crouched as the males prepared to jump the food, looking like a pack of wild dogs.  The slowly wagging tails on Shippou and Gohan didn't help to dispel the image.  Wait a sec.

"When the hell did Gohan's tail grow back?" she whispered savagely.  While she may have wanted to shriek in surprise, she was also enraptured by the hungry pack…er, men and children in front of her.  She didn't want to break their concentration yet.

Videl responded under her breath, "It grew back when we first got to Inuyasha's dimension.  Actually, Inuyasha ran smack into Gohan, crushing him into a tree.  While they were trying to recover, it grew for some reason."

Bulma and Chi Chi shivered, knowing all too well the power and prowess of the Saiyan tail.

"Why didn't he get you all to cut it off?" the scientist asked with deep concern in her voice.  "Didn't he warn you about what happens to him?"

"Inuyasha and Miroku taught him how to control his Oozaru somehow," Videl responded hastily.  After last night, she couldn't dream of removing her mate's tail.

"Plus she kept him busy," Sango added with a small leer.  Somehow Videl managed to blush, glare, and giggle wickedly at the same time.

"We should still cut it off for safety," Chi Chi said absently, wincing inside.  She'd never had a chance to say it, but she loved her men's tails.  When she'd first met Goku, he'd had a tail, and every time that his tail had been severed since then, she'd always thought that he was missing something.  And her boys  looked so wrong without their fuzzy appendages.  She came out of her reverie as Bulma shook her head.

"It shouldn't be a problem.  The moon is gone anyway, and he knows how to control it now.  Besides, he's the only…"

All of the females' eyes were on Bulma when a violent rip broke through the conversation.  Eyes turned sharply as the women and girl prepared for an attack, Sango, Videl, Chi Chi, and Eighteen jumping in front of Bulma, Kagome, and Marron.  Which gave them the best view of the disturbance.

From the backs of each full-blooded Saiyan sprouted a long, furry snake.  The snakes rose into the air, ripping fabric away to make room for their bases, and soon came to a halt nearly three feet in the air, on par with Gohan's tail.  The men stumbled a bit, and Goku even gave a subtle sigh of relief, but they soon returned to their tense crouches, their tails wagging in perfect synchronization with Gohan's and Shippou's.

Chi Chi's eyebrows twitched nervously as Bulma looked over her shoulder.  The older woman gasped, then sighed wryly.

"Well, at any rate, there's no moon."

Marron peeked between her mother's legs at the men, pouting again.

"I still wanna cook like you, Chi Chi-san.  I can't believe they haven't stop staring yet!"

"I'll teach you everything I know Marron-chan," Chi Chi assured her as the women relaxed their stances and returned to the chore of unpacking the food.  "But first, how about we snap a picture of these silly boys, just for us girls to laugh at, hm?"

Vegeta sighed inwardly as the pressure on his back eased.  He felt in perfect shape again, and he blamed the pain on an unlimbered muscle.  The brawl had been a bit of a surprise.  He mentally noted the small sigh of relief that Goku gave and it further strengthened this belief.  Goku had been taken by surprise too, so it was obvious that he would suffer from slightly cramped muscles as well.  Besides, he was the one that the fight landed on at first.  Vegeta smirked slightly at the thought of the initial pain that must have caused the Earth-Saiyan, then refocused his attention on the roasted haunch in the pretty hands of his Onna.  He stumbled slightly and frowned.  If he still had his tail, he'd be in perfect equilibrium.

Goku sighed again under his breath; whatever muscle it was that had been hurting him seemed to have unraveled itself, relieving him of the pain.  A swift glance at Vegeta showed that the prince's glare had eased by a wrinkle, which made Goku smirk.  It was nice to know that Vegeta had been in some measure of pain too.  He stumbled again, which led him to mentally rue the loss of his tail once more.  He'd never stumbled when he had his tail to balance him.

Krillin didn't normally allow his stomach to control him like this, but he could smell all of his favorite dishes, and he knew that he'd need speed to get anything before the Saiyans had their way with the food.  He'd been used to having to dash in between the larger acolytes to get food during his youth at the monastery.  He was a tad faster than the Saiyans when they were untransformed, plus his small size allowed him to scurry through the most unlikely places.  He crouched a little lower, feeling the sweet tension in his legs as the old need for speed built in him.

Gohan just drooled.  And waited.  And drooled.  And planned on how to dodge the others to get at his favorite foods.  And drooled.

"At least they're mannerly about it," Kagome huffed angrily, watching Inuyasha's eyes as they ogled her.  Well, not her, really, rather the large platter that held a larger leg of lamb.  His eyes had been on the food since they started unpacking some 15 minutes ago, and she was wondering if he'd cramp in that position.  She didn't realize that Inuyasha had the ability to freeze for hours if necessary, whether it was to fool his prey into a false sense of security, or hide from youkai hell-bent on killing him.

"Oh we have them well trained," Chi Chi assured her.  "They won't flinch until we give the signal."

"That's a relief," Videl noted.  "I've never seen Gohan look quite so…predatory."

"Oh really, Videl?" Sango droned slyly as she unpacked the vegetables from the strange chest-that-never-seemed-to-get-hot.  She seemed to remember Kagome telling her that it was a _kuu-_something.  "So he wasn't predatory in the least last night?"

"Stop that!  You act like I'm the only one that got…lucky," Videl snapped at Sango, even as she grinned at the older girl.  She was in too good a mood to be ruffled by the taiji-ya's good-natured teasing..

Sango laughed amiably until Eighteen poked her with an elbow.

"Watch this," the android whispered conspiratorially as Chi Chi and Bulma each held a large ham in their small hands.  The other girls tried not to giggle as the males drooled even more.

"This is a training session, but they don't realize it," the android continued.  "Once we got the older men trained, they began teaching the boys."

Bulma and Chi Chi began swinging the hams slowly, and the eyes followed them.  When Shippou, Trunks, and Goten began to inch forward, Inuyasha, Vegeta, Goku, and Gohan gave almost subsonic grunts of disapproval.  The girls had to strain their ears in order to hear them.  The boys stopped their progress immediately.  Even quieter grunts of approval met the chibis' compliance.  Sango could practically hear Miroku's leg muscles vibrating in preparation for the leap, and the short former monk; was his name Krillin?  He was subtly shivering as his muscles wound tighter.

"I'm surprised the new kids actually have so much restraint," Eighteen mused aloud.  "At any rate, this little session also gives us a chance to get our food before they devour everything."  Eighteen quickly filled a capsule with more than enough of each dish.

"Well, I'm pretty sure Inuyasha hunts for a lot of his dinner, so I suppose he's stalking right now.  I don't know anything about Shippou's ability to stalk though," Kagome noted with a tinge of curiosity as she secured her pack.

"And Miroku won't make the first move if he is on unfamiliar territory, whether he's acting like a human or otherwise," Sango added as she helped Videl fill another capsule with plates, cups, napkins, cutlery, and drinks.  The capsules enraptured the taiji-ya; if only she had them in the Sengoku Jidai.  Packing and carrying supplies would be a snap!

"Eighteen I dunno how long we can hold them off.  That little scuffle seems to have worked up their appetites," Chi Chi whispered harshly.

"Dammit, I've got to fly these new girls out too you know?" the android replied moodily, eyeing Vegeta's tail as it slowed down.

"Don't worry about us.  Videl says she can fly, and we have Kirara," Kagome assured her.  "Kirara, change quickly please!"

"Mreow," the feline replied as she grew larger.  As soon as she was finished, Sango and Kagome leapt onto her broad back, and Videl began levitating.  Eighteen got a firm hold of Chi Chi and Bulma, then instructed her daughter to climb onto her back.  While Marron scurried into position with her backpack of dolls hanging off of one shoulder, Bulma gave directions to fly some 200 yards away.  Kirara and Videl took off.

"Ready?" whisper-screamed the aquamarine-coiffed woman.  Eighteen and Chi Chi nodded.  They too had seen the tails stop swaying.  Boys knew that their wait would soon be over.

In a swift blur, Chi Chi and Bulma dropped the hams as Eighteen bolted into the air.  That was the signal.  9 shadowy forms bounded onto the buffet, and chaos ensued.  Dust flew, snarls and hackles were raised, and yelps of pain came from the pile.  The Z senshi had a head start, seeing as how Inuyasha, Miroku, and Shippou were following the unspoken rule of waiting for the host to serve himself first.  However, this head start didn't stop them from getting a good footing in the general fray, and the outcome was looking pretty even.

The girls, now spreading out a separate blanket a safe distance away, unpacked their portion of the food and began to serve themselves in a neat, orderly manner.  As they sat down to dine, a curious twitch could be seen above their eyebrows.  They made light conversation, pointedly ignoring the nearby fracas.

"You know, they really should have outgrown that by now," Videl noted as one of Miroku's sandals flew overhead.  "You would think that certain intelligent young men would know how to dine properly by now."

"It's just them.  And at least the Saiyans have a good excuse; Vegeta told me that this is a form of play and training for Saiyan males.  Besides, I'm sure all of them have large appetites from that scuffle.  Fights tend to make them hungrier," Bulma said assuredly as an orange gi sash floated down nearby.

"I'm sure it's the sex that made them hungry, not the fights," Eighteen noted in a clipped tone.  "I just realized that a certain monk didn't eat a damn thing last night or this morning."  Chi Chi nodded in agreement, commenting on the fact that Goku hadn't eaten since the morning before, a rare occurrence in the life of that particular Saiyan.

"That could be it," Sango mused, sipping a can of lemon soda.  "I don't think we ate before we left for the well this morning, and we hardly ate anything last night, we were all too busy.  Add the general near starvation of most people in my time period, and I bet Inuyasha, Miroku, and Shippou have been walking around permanently hungry."

"He could have just told me, the clown.  He knows that I could bring him back more food if he needed, my family isn't exactly poor you know," Kagome huffed, her closed eyes blocking her view of a white glove as it lodged into a tree.

"That reminds me," Chi Chi began, "we were never formally introduced.  I'm Son Chi Chi, Gohan and Goten's mom.  I'm the one who got saddled with making all this food, so I expect you all to eat everything."  Everyone laughed at her mock glare.

"Well I'm Briefs Bulma, president of Capsule Corps., wife and slave to Vegeta, mother of the lavender-haired boy, Trunks.  I'm the scientist who helped to invent these capsules, and I can do just about anything."

"Except cook," Chi Chi noted dryily.

"Darling, that's why I invented the food replicator," the scientist replied in a haughty manner, taking an imperious forkful of food.

"With the database built off of **my** recipes," Chi Chi added, a smirk plastered over her face.  Bulma frowned at the woman's teasing; her cooking wasn't **that** bad.

"Ignore them, they do this all the time," Eighteen assured the younger women.  "My name is Eighteen.  My _father_ was as creative as a dead doorpost.  I'm an android."

"And I'm her little dream, Marron!" the small girl piped, barely looking away from her doll tea party, where Kirara was eagerly playing the part of honored guest.  The rosy-cheeked girl seemed utterly unfazed by the fact that Kirara had changed from a small purring housecat, to a huge, flying, saber-toothed, wild feline, and back again.  Evidence of a life spent with the Z senshi; things like that became common-placed, and no one ever said _never_ to any possibility.

The other girls quickly introduced themselves, and all of them eventually conveyed the concept of an android to the confused Sango.  Kagome quickly updated the women on the happenings in the Sengoku Jidai for the past four days, and Bulma reassured them that she would be able to check them after their meal.  Chi Chi eyed Videl appraisingly, this being her first official introduction to the girl, then began speaking in a deceptively nonchalant voice.

"So, Videl, I hear my son's been training you."

"Yes Chi Chi-san, he's taught me lots of things."

"You do know that as his mother, I'll have to test your ability, to make sure that you're strong enough to be his wife.  He's sure to be a very physically demanding fellow, just like his father.  He'll want a wife he can spar wife without holding back too much of his energy.  And please, feel free to call me Kaasan…preferably after our meeting."

"I look forward to your examination," Videl finished, and both women had wicked gleams in their eyes.

"This is just a formality, isn't it?" Sango asked aloud, afraid of the older woman's safety if she insisted on battling Videl.

"Nope, it's a full out call to battle.  Chi Chi was the strongest human woman on Chikyuu before she retired and married Goku," Bulma informed her, barely taking note of the dialogue.  "She hasn't had a good sparring partner in ages.  I'm more into long range projectile weapons like bows and arrows, darts, and guns, and Eighteen…"

"I'm just too strong for her," the android stated bluntly.  "Anyway, it'd be nice to watch a girl-versus-girl match for once."

"Ano, Bulma-san, I'd love to test my archery skills with you.  I don't know many people who are still interested in archery in the modern era," Kagome asked shyly.  While her archery skills had grown considerable over the past two years, she had never used it for sport.

"Sure thing Kagome, but only if you call me Bulma from now on; I may be old, but I'm not **that** old."

"I guess that leaves us to pack up Sango."

"If you'd like, Eighteen-san," the taiji-ya responded in a lackluster manner.  She would have enjoyed a little competition too.  While she could understand that Eighteen was exceedingly powerful, she was used to being outmatched by her usual competition, namely youkai.  She was confident that she wouldn't be an easy target, and she was slightly miffed at the fact that Eighteen had dismissed the thought of fighting her entirely…

"Or we could see how that oversized boomerang of yours works against enemies.  I'd be willing to stand in as an enemy."  While the android's face remained expressionless, Sango's face lit up in glee.

"Just let me change, Eighteen-san!"

"I'll even let you use that cat-thing of yours, just to even things out.  And don't call me Eighteen-san.  Eighteen is just as fine.  Wastes less air too."

The women were too busy talking to notice that the sounds of fighting had been replaced with the sounds of eating and quiet, yet heated debate.  Miroku and Krillin, being the only ones who could be trusted around food, were currently taking culinary-based bets on the outcome of the women's impromptu competitions.  Gohan and his father were alternating between vicious discussions on who would win in the Chi Chi vs. Videl match, and placating the near violent debate between Inuyasha and Vegeta on who would win in the archery contest.  Goten was physically stuck between Trunks and Shippou, who were childishly arguing over who would win in that same contest.  He was also the only one aware of the side bets than Miroku and Krillin lay on the competition between their own mates.  He was mentally stuck on whom to cheer for; his mother or Videl, his sister by mating.  The whole affair left the little demi-Saiyan confused and exasperated until he came up with a great idea.

"Who wants the last spring roll?" he cried, even as he dodged his sibling's first attempt at the food.  With a quick toss in the air, the lunchtime fight was back on track.  Goten sighed wearily.

'The things I do for peace,' he thought, shaking his head at his noble sacrifice.


	14. Discussions

Wishing Well

Disclaimer:      Je n'own pas Inuyasha ou DBZ.  If they were mine…hold, wait; this story **is** what'd happen if they were mine.  Hrm.  Anyway…don't sue me. 

Legend: "…" = speech

'…' = thought (usually)

~~~ = beginning/ending of flashback

The males' initial pass at the food was over, and they had now settled down to quietly nibble their shares. Which meant that they actually chewed their food as it passed between their lips, as opposed to throwing the edible matter straight down their throats. The chibi demi-Saiyans, Marron, and Shippou had taken a break from dining to play a game that involved a lot of running, jumping, and screaming. The women had finished eating by this time, and Bulma unpacked a small laboratory kit as the others tidied up. The scientist, armed with needles and test tubes, went around to each of the teens to draw blood for the rabies test. It was rather comical watching Goku as he tried to continue eating next to his son and avoid passing out at the sight of needles. Inuyasha actually refused to let Bulma touch him, and Kagome had to take a crash course in blood collection in order to get a sample from the inuhanyou. As Kagome filled the test tube, Inuyasha caught Vegeta's eyes and blatantly leaned to his mate's ear.

"Kagome, do you understand what Bulma is going to do?" he whispered, his voice barely louder than a breath and all of his boyishness pushed aside. Kagome was startled by the question and the tone. She could sense the hanyou's distrust.

"I'm not sure…" she began to reply, whispering in at a similar manner.

"Can you learn? Can you get her to explain everything that she is doing as she's doing it?"

"Perhaps Inuyasha, but I don't understand…"

"Go with her. Blood is a very powerful agent in curses, and I don't trust her mate, that undersized egotistical ouji."

"Inuyasha how'd you know that Vegeta-sama was Bulma's husband, and if you had problems with this then why…?"

"Feh wench, I'm hungry, not deaf; besides, I can smell that monkey all over her. Just…Look, there's some aura about him, under his own, and it's…familiar. Not good familiar. Like a memory from…dammit Kagome, just do what I say, please?"

Kagome was now very worried. For Inuyasha to say please, he had to be deeply unnerved. Kagome waited until the test tube was filled, then gave a short, subtle nod. Inuyasha relaxed visibly. He _feh_ed his disdain on the whole affair, turning his full gaze onto Vegeta. The two smirked knowingly.

"Ano, Bulma-s…Bulma, would it be okay if I come with you? I'd really like to learn more about this testing process and your other inventions!" Kagome asked innocently. 

'So, the dog boy isn't a simpleton, and he wants me to know that. Sending his mate with the Onna to ensure that she doesn't betray him somehow. He's actually becoming interesting,' Vegeta mused, his face unchanging behind his bowl of udon noodles. He curtly feed his thoughts to his blue-haired scientist, who was two steps away from telling Kagome that almost no one entered her beloved lab.

'Let her go with you.'

'Dammit Vegeta I don't need a kid on my heels while I'm working. I even kicked Trunks out once he learned how to walk! And why the hell are you telling me to let someone in my lab, when you won't even let Dad's cat come in the GT, on **or** off?!'

'The under-colored feather-headed were-Pomeranian she's mated to doesn't trust you one iota, and he won't believe a damn thing you say unless his mate can describe and verify what you've done.'

'The whole trust thing I get; I live with you, remember? But I **hate** people in my way when I'm working, and you usually couldn't give a flying fuck about other people…'

'Bulma, just do it…please.'

Bulma almost died of shock, but she felt her husband's stern glare on her, and managed to reel in the urge to faint. Vegeta could sense the questions as her mind contemplated what kind of evil would force him to say please, but she merely returned her attentions to Kagome. 

"Sure thing Kagome! Come on, we'll let Goku eat and take the air car." 

"The air car? What's an air car?" The female voices drifted off in the distance. Soon, there was a loud boom, a whir, and a panicked scream. Bulma was definitely driving again. 

Vegeta sent a wave of thanks along the bond before returning to his meal. She clearly told him that he had some explaining to do, then the connection was dampened.

The remaining Z senshi filed the princes' behavior away for later analysis. Goku and Krillin thought of Inuyasha's actions as reminiscent of Vegeta's early years on Chikyuu, when he trusted no one, but usually Vegeta could care less about others' distrust. Goku raised an eyebrow in Vegeta's direction, but was met with closed eyes and disdain. Krillin made a subtle rolling of his shoulders, glanced surreptitiously at Inuyasha, and his childhood friend made a subtle nod. Both turned their eyes over to Gohan, and were not surprised to find his eyes hooded and alert. Gohan made a delicate, minute gesture with his head in Inuyasha's direction, and was rewarded with a slight ruffling of Miroku's robes. The marks had been made. Satisfied, the men returned their full attention to the food before them, and Gohan's attentions turned to a comment that his father made when he first met the group at the well.

"Humph Choushan, Ush chaught oush eshaish shash Piccolo wush hurr?" ("Hey Tousan, I thought you said that Piccolo was here?").

"Mmmuh mmought mm. Mmh Mmgeta!" ("I thought so. Hey Vegeta!"). Goku paused to swallow his food, giving Vegeta time to answer.

"What is it you slob?"

"Did Piccolo tell you were he was going? Why isn't he here?"

"You interrupted my dining to ask about Green Bean? Baka, I've got food getting cold because of that question!"

"Then let me answer it, Vegeta. It's none of your business Goku. By the way, why do you damn Saiyans have your tails back?"

Inuyasha and Miroku craned their heads to scan this new person. Their eyes trekked up 7 feet of white cape and blue pants to view a green face with small black eyes peeking from beneath a protruding brow. A turban wrapped tightly about the top of the head, making the large green pointy ears stand out even more. Inuyasha knew that if the creature had even one antenna, it would closely resemble someone that he'd seen many, many years ago. Miroku was fascinated by the face, which sent shivers of fear and awe up his body. His training as a priest required that he be able to distinguish between good and evil auras, and he was catching traces of both emanating from this green giant. He had to stop himself from shuddering as the being's glare swung down on the two strangers, but it was hard to keep his composure as the brow furrowed even more and the voice rumbled out a question.

"And what in Dende's name are **they** doing here?!"

Piccolo had come to the picnic earlier; in fact, he had been the first one there. If anyone outside of the Z senshi had seen him then, they would have skirted far around the madman who had painted himself green and pink before meditating and having a loud argument with himself. The senshi would have known that the former Demon King was merely ensconced in another violent discussion with the former Guardian of the Earth.

"What the hell do you mean I need to **project** you to another dimension? You and I merged if you've forgotten…which means **you** are not supposed to exist outside of **my** body."

'I think I of all people know the conditions of our merger, but I am needed elsewhere and this particular technique will allow me to attend to some…business…without having to involve you directly.'

Piccolo's normally fierce glare grew even grimmer as he heard Kami's slight hesitance.

"Alright you waste of a Guardian, what's the matter?"

'Matter? Piccolo, I don't believe I quite understand what…'

"Bullshit. You're in trouble and I can tell because you lie even worse than you fight, so you might as well tell me what fire you're trying to put out, and why Dende can't manage it."

Piccolo's head rang with a frustrated sigh as Kami tried to keep his composure.

'Look, Piccolo, it really doesn't concern you beyond using this projection technique, so you really don't have to get involved…'

"Fine, I see I'll have to do this the hard way and call Dende."

Piccolo felt Kami wince, and smirked. He'd caught the Guardian between a rock and a hard place now.

'Oh fine, if you insist. Do you remember what Goku said about where Gohan and Videl were transported?'

Piccolo thought carefully for a moment before answering.

"He said it was the past. The time of the Warring States, the Sengoku Jidai."

'At a glance, yes, but it is actually a dimensional pivot point. Anything that happens in that time and place is likely to impact on a minimum of 100 other future dimensions.'

Piccolo stifled an anguished groan as he grasped Kami's last statement. Although he loved his student (not that anyone could actually say those words and live), Gohan and his father had an enormous knack for getting into trouble when they were left alone. The mere thought of any Son adventures in that dimension gave him a swift, vicious headache as he imagined how they could affect life on Chikyuu and only Dende knew where else. Eight years was not enough of a rest period between world-threatening crises, and it was certainly no preparation for a multidimensional catastrophe. The former Guardian comforted his host as he continued.

'Do not be perturbed; Gohan and Videl are not causing any problems. In fact, they have helped to avert a crisis. No, I need to speak to someone else in that dimension.'

"What's the problem?"

Kami sighed wearily before giving Piccolo a very brief synopsis.

'There is an unknown entity that has been attempting to wreak havoc in that dimension for a number of centuries. It tends to use people, monsters, demons, even souls as tools for its means, which help it to remain anonymous. None of the Kai elders know what its goal is, but there are a number of families that it has targeted. I have uncovered a situation in one of those families that I need to rectify, and other minor issues need to be attended to.'

"So why can't Dende take care of them?"

'He's too young, and…and…'

'And the Kai told him to take care of his own mess,' chirped a cheerful yet snide voice. Piccolo felt Kami grumble in his head, but ignored the irate Guardian in favor of the other Namek sharing his mental space.

"What happened Nail, and how can the Kai make contact with Kami without going through me?"

'They do it while you're meditating. You are so far down that you can barely hear your conscious mind. The Kai use their mental power to blanket this layer utterly and only let Kami in.'

'Well then how did you find out about it?' Kami asked in surprise. He was rewarded with a chuckle from the former Namekian warrior.

'I'm a warrior, as is Piccolo. You don't think we would leave ourselves completely open to attack while we meditate, do you? When Piccolo is deep within himself, I stay on the conscious level and vice versa. You and the Kai have been locking me in these past few days. Anyway Piccolo, the problem is that Kami has spent so much time in this dimension that he hasn't watched over this pivot point like he was supposed to. It somehow managed to survive without him, but the confusion is beginning to leak out into its…descendant dimensions. Apparently, portals have been appearing all over the place in the past 52 years, and there has been a ton of free movement between worlds.'

'So now Kami has to get around to investigating them and then somehow destroying them?'

'Exactly. The thing is, he can't do it on this side, and you can't go and do it because you are...'

'Piccolo Daimao, who was Demon King just before that period, and I bet...'

'That your appearance would cause a huge shift in the dimension, that would ripple outwards to the other connected dimensions, including this one.'

'You two don't really need to talk as if I'm not here, you know,' Kami grumbled as Nail finished speaking. 'I hope this unnecessarily lengthy explanation has assuaged your poorly timed curiosity, Piccolo. Now, are you going to help?'

Piccolo's silence dragged for some time.

'Well?!' Kami yelled in exasperation, as Piccolo ignored him.

'I thinking you goody-two-shoes!' Piccolo shouted in response. 'All right, all right, fine! I'll project you to wherever the hell it is that you're needed, but don't expect me to do anything other than that.'

'Thank you, Piccolo.' Kami gave a small sigh of relief at his host's acquiescence. While it wasn't _completely_ true that he need Piccolo's help, he wasn't ready to make the ex-evil Namek do things in his meditative state and then erase his memories.

It was black.  Pitch-black.  The shade of black that only exists in places that have never, ever, ever been graced by a passing acquaintance of any form of light.  The sort of black that defies fluorescent creatures, plants, and rocks, such as those that may be found in some of Earth's deepest oceans.  The type of black that, if it were manifested, would consume a dark star.  A black so thick, and ominous, and foreboding, that its presence was like the heavy, erasing hand of oblivion, a chaos so thick, that not even the timeless ritual of life and death existed.  It was black.  It was alive.

Somewhere within this mindless dark, an entity existed.  And, to the utmost fear of things yet to be created and yet to die; it spoke.

"Report."

In a neural network that could not be said to be fully alive, a flurry of lightless data flowed with fearsome, horrible, calculating logic.  Through means that cannot be understand in the manner of living beings, all of Inuyasha's details and actions became known to this…dark.  Then, Kagome's life was laid bare in this nothingness.  Then Sesshoumaru's… Rin's… Miroku's… Sango's… Shippou's… Kirara's… Kouga's… Kagura's… Kikyou's…

"Others."

Goku, Vegeta, Krillin, Gohan, Trunks, Goten, Marron, 18, Bulma, Chichi; all had their lives unknowing dissected into the most miniscule pieces and fed to this opaque anarchy.

"Preparations."

Incomprehensible data fluttered together in a disturbingly perfect array of order.  In the few milliseconds that a higher-order living being could withstand the data barrage, the only information it could piece together is the image of a medieval well, an image that would be scorched upon its nerves before it numbed to a nothingness fitting of the oblivion.

"Proceed."

Author's Notes:

Ohaiyou!  ***Avoids flying trash and spoiled fruits from angry readers***

I'm truly sorry for not updating in about a year, but so much has happened to me in that time that stories and anime flew from my head.  I hope all of you can forgive me for this notable lapse.  I'll try to pick up where I left off, merging a few of my other plots to this one and taking up a new plot line soon.

Again, gomen nasai  **m (_ _) m**.  I humbly ask your forgiveness, and hope my tale continues to please you.

And, uhm, I kinda uploaded the unfinished chapter before.  Gomen nasai!


	15. Emotions

Wishing Well

Disclaimer:      I don't own Inuyasha.  Even my shirt is on loan.  Don't sue me.

Plead:             Please review if you want this fic to continue!  Even if it's a flame, I accept all comments with goodwill.  Well, most comments at any rate.

Legend:           "…"    =         speech

                      '…'     =         thought (usually)

                      ~~~     =         beginning/ending of flashback

She was free.

She was also close to dead.

She ignored the pain once more, pulling herself back into the painful light that was her life.  Her body almost refused to listen to her.  It was tired beyond all comprehension.  Most anyone else would be dead.  However, Kami apparently had other plans in store for her; and she wasn't so dumb as to turn down a second chance.

She maneuvered her unresponsive hands into claws, and dragged herself along the ground.  Slowly, inch by agonizing inch, she moved forward.  As she made progress, a twisted grimace of joy spread across her face.

She was free.

She was alive.

Kouga stood on his shrine, watching Ginta and Haggaku pay strict observance to him.  His face was impassive as they said the words, but it wasn't a sign of disregard.  Even dead, he could not stop his spirit from using the usual facial masks that always protected his emotions.

"Kouga, we miss you," Ginta murmured.

The gentle whisper shook him to the core.  How could Ginta and Haggaku still affect him?  He was dead!  No one should be able to make him hurt with their words anymore!

"We know why you died.  The wolf clans found your death honorable.  You chose us a good leader when you tricked Inuyasha-sama and his friends into killing Nii and Souran.  Stupid bloodthirsty raping bastards," Haggaku muttered angrily.

"Inuyasha-sama really is good, Kouga…but wolves miss wolves.  Especially their direct family," Ginta quietly added.

Kouga glared angrily as he felt his eyes twitch the same way a living person would cry.  He wished he had said it, even once.  He wished that he'd admitted to his half-brothers that he'd loved them.  And now, it was too late.

He watched as the two youkai stood up and turned away, loping back to the tribe's new home.

"Oi, wimpy wolf, don't cry when people can see you."

"Shut to fuck up, Inukkoro."

"Feh, stop it wolf.  I'm here to do my duty."

Kouga glared down at the inu hanyou who stepped out of the surrounding brush.

"I don't cry; I'm a wolf prince!"

The inuhanyou ignored him as he went through the rituals.  Kouga dropped onto the shrine, crossing his legs and arms simultaneously.  He continued glaring at the hanyou, trying to think of anything but his dumb emotions.  He noticed that the hanyou was completely alone.

"Oi, dog-breath, where are your companions?"

"Scouting elsewhere.  I needed to talk to you alone."

This surprised Kouga enough to stop his impending bickering.

"I'm going away with the others.  We are going to some weird miko to make sure that we don't have the same thing you did.  I'll be gone awhile, so look after the tribe."

Kouga nodded, wondering what Inuyasha was really up to.  The dogface knew that he'd look after the wolf tribe somehow, whether he was there to lead them or not.

"I want to mate Kagome.  I want your permission."

If Kouga wasn't dead already, his shock at the statement would have done him in.

"NANI!?!?  Why do you want my permission?  She's your soul mate!"

"Dammit Kouga, you and I both loved her!  I-I have…there's no other youkai who would possibly bless our union, but you know her…you know the attraction.  You know that she is more than a youkai's heart can fight against."

Kouga listened to the words coming from the distressed half-breed, awestruck.  He knew what Inuyasha was talking about.  Kouga had…well, thought he had loved Kagome.  Her purity, her strength, her courage, her kindness; all these things were like flames that drew the moths in.  He had been burned, where Inuyasha had managed to dance in the heat.  He nodded, smirking as he read the true contents of Inuyasha's words.

'What he means to say is that he has no family to bless him.  He doesn't have a single adult male youkai on his side except me, and that's only because I understand the attraction.'

"She could do a lot better, but you aren't the worst pu...Inuyasha."

Kouga's smirk was mirrored on Inuyasha's face.

"Arigatou, Kouga."

Kouga watched him in amiable silence as he finished the rituals.  He would never have thought that Inuyasha would ever respect his grave.  It was surprisingly touching; something that he was not very comfortable with just yet.  He reverted back to his normal mode of addressing the half-breed.

"Inukkoro, you haven't explained why you and your friends can see me but others can't.  I'm supposed to be a ghost!"

Inuyasha's face saddened briefly, before his semi-permanent scowl returned.

"Feh!  I'm a hanyou, wimpy wolf.  If you knew what I did to stay alive…let's just say that I've dragged myself from Death's grasp enough times to know what things look like on the other side."

Now, Kouga could have ignored that, but there was something horrible in the hanyou's tone of voice.  The way Inuyasha said it scared Kouga.  It scared him badly.

'How scarred and twisted is his soul?' he wondered.  'Not even my life left me so…angry.  And those companions probably haven't touched the depth of it.  Kagome may be the only one close enough to learn more.'

"My friends understand.  They've seen the other side and they've run, walked, or crawled back from the edge.  That's why they can see or hear you too."

Rituals complete, the hanyou stood and turned to go.  Kouga watched his back as it receded, struggling to find the words that would somehow make the hanyou sound normal.  Or make himself sound normal.  He wasn't sure anymore.  It was the hanyou who stopped and talked.

"You'll find someone too, Kouga.  But, I-I need Kagome now.  I-There's not much I've ever wanted but now…she's all I want."

Inuyasha was almost too far away to hear the wolf youkai's low response.

"Wakatta, Inuyasha."

Kouga prowled the invisible boundaries of his shrine, his eyes unseeing and his ears lax. He was busily trying to unravel the tangle of emotions his visitors had presented him with. As he thought of each visitor, he unwittingly picked up some present that they had left on the shrine. He was currently caressing the leather belt that Ginta and Haggaku left him. The belt was soft and supple, with no trace of hair to be found. Four rough gold nuggets, obviously found in a flowing stream, were inset in the center of the belt. It would have been a functional way of showing Kouga's authority if he were still alive to lead.

'My half-brothers never challenged my right to ascend. Shimatta, they pushed me to take the lead, even though they could have combined their powers and beaten me. It's not uncommon for twins like them to lead a clan. They've always trusted me, always done exactly as I ordered them to do. And when I'm slipping up, they don't yammer about my mistakes like a bunch of spoiled cubs. They try to point them out in a gentle, non-threatening way. And what have I done for them?'

Images of the several beatings he had given them, all attempts to relieve his selfish frustration, fluttered through his memory. He grimaced, and put the belt over the shrine. His hand grasped another item as he changed direction. His claws absently stroked the stuffed wolf plushie that Kagome had offered before she and Inuyasha left. She had somehow decorated the tail with strands of his fur. He chuckled as he imagined the argument **that** caused between the two.

'Ah, Kagome; you are more precious than the entire Shikon no Tama, all the more so because you don't even realize it. You have come across the most hardened youkai and humans and you somehow have the ability to make them open up to you. You can control a blood lusted youkai as easily as you breathe; yet you don't flaunt your power. You are the most perfect, pure human alive, the perfect addition to any youkai's collection. And you fell in love with the lowest of beings, a half-breed that shouldn't be alive. Yet that decision to accept Inuyasha for the creature he is makes you more beautiful than ever. I wanted you to love me like that; I'd have been invincible with you backing me.'

He wistfully replaced the plushie, and then frowned as he picked up the final offering. It was a slim, long tress of white hair, made into a small braid. The top of the braid was tied around a claw; the bottom was twisted around a fang. The ends of the claw and the fang were dipped in blood, which somehow managed to stay in place, wet, yet undripping.

'Inuyasha: a hanyou, something that should not exist; something that lives in the void between two different worlds. You were my worst enemy, next to Naraku. I hated the way you were able to wield that sword of yours. I hated your strength, which was equal to mine any day. You were almost as fast as I was, for some unfathomable reason. If it weren't for the Shikon shards I used to carry in my legs, you would have killed me many times over. I still blame you for bringing the wolf tribe to Naraku's attention. If I'd never met you, all those wolves and wolf youkai would not have had to die unnecessarily. Naraku would only have trapped and killed me. As a prince, I am always expected to die for my people, not let them die. Of course, I would never have met Kagome if I hadn't met you.

Kagome. You had something I desired there, Inukkoro; you had Kagome. A most precious gift, and I thought you were keeping her all to yourself like any upstart youkai would. You would not let her go, no matter how many times I taunted you, or got her to save me, or got her to say _Kouga-kun_. Yes, I thought you were thinking like me, thinking to keep the best human to yourself, to cherish it like a prize piece of land or an exceptional horse. I didn't understand how you loved her, because I couldn't give her my heart the way you did.

And now, kisama baka, you leave me an offering that is almost better than all of the rest. You leave me with enough scrap materials to weave a powerful curse and kill you. I could take your offering and cause you so much pain you would wish you were dead before the sun moved one hand. You have given me an item that would bear your individual scent for years, allowing me to send others to track you anywhere. You have given me the greatest mark of respect that a hanyou with no possessions other than his body, mind, and life can afford. So now I must carry it, because I will not leave it here for anyone else to take advantage of. I'll protect you, my favorite enemy, so your little braid better carry your abnormally good luck.'

Kouga prowled around the shrine, stroking the white talisman.

The sun was high overhead when Kouga got the summons.

A small horned creature, dressed in strange foreign clothes, appeared from thin air next to Kouga's head. With a short trumpet blast, the little creature unrolled a scroll to read his message in a squeaky voice.

"The grand and auspicious master of the Spiritual Check-in Station, King Enma, has requested your presence at the top of the line immediately. Please visit him without delay."

With a curt nod, the messenger vanished.

Kouga sighed loudly and followed the imp's example.

The check-in line was, as usual, long. Possibly even longer than usual, considering this **was** the Warring States period. Kouga ignored heckles and hisses as he zipped to the table at the head of the line.

"You wished to see me, Enma-sama?" he asked quietly, bowing low.

An enormous horned figure looked up from an equally enormous scroll. He peered at the bent wolf youkai as he racked his memory.

"Hmm, hmmm, hmmm! Kouga, yes, I called you. You still have not been judged you know."

Kouga frowned, but he kept his voice steady. King Enma was not the type of person you purposely ticked off, even if you were agonizingly tired of the limbo your spirit was trapped in.

"Forgive my direct nature, but may I ask why you have summoned then, Enma-sama?"

The horned figure smirked quietly. He could read the frustration in the little wolf's spirit, even if his voice disguised it.

'The suspense must be killing him…again,' he mused wickedly.

"I have an offer that will help to tip the scales one way or the other. Kami has given a dead miko another chance at life as a repayment for both her service to him and her disobedience of the natural rules. You will council, protect, and help her, so that she may use this chance wisely. If Kami finds favor with your work, you will get another chance. If he is displeased…"

Kouga did not need to hear the rest. Under his bangs, his eyes drifted to the doorway to hell. He saw the gleam of fangs, a twist of black fur, and a bloody eye in a battered face. Nii was grinning at him from a corrupted welcoming stance; the best that youkai could do considering the beating that ended his life.

"She is about to arrive at your shrine. You will report to me monthly, on the night of the New Moon. Go."

"I hear and obey, Enma-sama."

Kouga bowed low, and then vanished once again.

The human figure was stretched out next to the shrine.  Black hair billowed around the facial area, totally obscuring it.  A white kimono and a red hakama were loosely draped onto the body, hiding any sexual definition.  The caterpillar crawling on the chest area would have told anyone that the body was lifeless, for it felt no heartbeat, nor did it hear any breath.

Kouga sat on the shrine, a hand on one knee, the other leg dangling off of the edge.  He regarded the corpse with curiosity.

'Heh, looks like Kami-sama forgot to reanimate her,' he thought smugly.

A lightning bolt came from the clear blue sky, striking the ground just behind the shrine.  Kouga yelped as the hairs on his tail crawled up and away from the powerful residue of the strike.

'Maybe I should reserve my thoughts on Kami until I see his results,' he mused, rubbing his over-sensitive rump.

"You do that," whispered the breeze.  Kouga twisted his mouth like he'd just eaten a sour berry.  He didn't need to start this assignment with Kami-sama against him.

The corpse stirred.  Kouga heard the first indrawn breath of air as he saw the lungs inflate.  He distinctly heard the first heartbeat.  In a strange way, it made him feel as if he were watching the first birth ever.

The face moved to stare up at the sun.  Shadowy tresses fell away to reveal a youthful face.  Her eyes, although they were still closed, twitched beneath the lids, causing long lashes to flutter.  Kouga stared intently at the face, his mind a desert island in an ocean of confusion.

'But, but Inuyasha just asked me for permission to mate her!' his thoughts wailed.  'He would never let her die without doing that, but this miko looks just like…'

"Kagome?" he whispered, as he leapt off the shrine to crouch over the figure's face.

Kikyou's eyes flew open.  She stared into cobalt blue depths, and uttered her only thought.

"Heaven."

She swiftly descended into the pits of unconsciousness again.

Kouga blinked rapidly.  Had Kagome just looked at him like that?  Had Kagome just croaked the word, _Heaven_ as she stared into his eyes?

The scent hit him, and it was nothing like Kagome's.  A scent like the coldest winter day, brisk and clean, so sharp that it almost hurt his delicate nasal passages, was emanating from the reborn miko, a scent that would remain uniquely hers for as long as she lived.

'This time,' Kouga thought wryly, 'which won't be long if I can't get her to some sort of shelter.  She's a quick snack for any hungry animal out there.'

His arms immediately went under her neck and knees in an attempt to lift her.  He cursed loudly as he saw them slip harmlessly through her solid mass.

"Whoops," came the soft murmur of the breeze, "forgot about that."

"Just great!" the wolf youkai prince snarled to no one in particular.  "How come I can touch the offerings but I can't lift her up?!"

"The offerings aren't really part of the living realm.  They exist in a shadowy mid-plane between the living and the dead, which makes them accessible to both worlds," came the unearthly reply.  "This miko was once like that, but now she is fully alive again."

"Which means I can't touch her.  And how the hell am I suppose to do my job?!"

Another lightning bolt flew from the clear sky, striking the same patch of ground.  Kouga's ears flattened against his skull.

"I-I meant how can Kami-sama aid his simple servant in the accomplishment of his duty?"

"You learn.  You are a spirit in limbo, which means you have been moved from the realm of the dead into that mid-plane I just mentioned.  King Enma just sent me the request, so I was only now able to move you there.  Try again."

Kouga warily moved his arms into position.  Gently, tentatively, he began to lift the miko up.  He grinned as he felt the coarse fabric of her clothing, the slowly warming flesh at the back of her neck, and the gentle rise and fall of her chest.

"Enough mischief-thinking cub, it's time for you to begin your duties.  Pray if you're in trouble, but don't always expect a response, I'm a busy person you know."

"Hai, Kami-sama. Arigatou gozaimasu, Kami-sama," Kouga replied, as he turned towards the nearby forest to search for suitable shelter for his charge.

"There's hope for you yet," the air murmured.

~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ Flashback ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~

"Kikyou, my handmaiden…how could you?"

"Kami-sama?"

"I know that I asked much of you, but you were always able to serve me.  Why didn't you tell me that the burden was too heavy?"

"Kami-sama, I was your servant!  I couldn't let you down!  You have been my only mentor since…"

"You know that I would have helped you.  All you had to do is trust me."

Kikyou tried to weep, but it had been too long.  She had buried her emotions for so long that she could not reveal anything beyond anger and hatred.

"You knew what you were, yet instead of doing the right thing, you let the hatred warp you.  You tried to kill those who held the fate of the Shikon no Tama in their hands, and then you tried to twist the mind of the Sword-bearer in order to destroy him.  You had the Shikon no Tama in your hand, complete but for a few shards, yet you gave it to the enemy.  Your conceit was so great that you thought yourself invincible.  Do you realize how heavy your sins are on the scales?"

Kikyou met the voice with indifference, but fear wrapped her still heart.

"But, Kikyou, you are still among my favorites, and I, too, have erred.  I succeeded, too well, in driving almost all of your negative emotions away, save your hatred.  Naraku used the others, coalescing them into Kagura, the wind spirit, who turned out to be a formidable enemy.  For my mistake, I cannot let either of you go without one more serious attempt at life."

Kikyou's face remained impassive, even as her heart leapt in joy.  Another chance!  A true second chance at life!

"Thank you, Kami-sama.  I will not fail you again."

"No, you will not, because this time I will let you live your own life.  I will not guide you.  But you must still pay for your willful disobedience."

"Kami-sama?"

Kikyou felt the white-hot pain as her body set itself on fire.  She felt her hatred, her current life-force, crumble before the onslaught of ki.

"You must be purified before you can take this reward, my child.  You will then be reunited with your other self, Kagura, who will also be purified of her powers.  Then, like other human children, you shall be without memory, without knowledge, helpless, and powerless."

Kikyou's screech of pain dissolved into a voiceless scream as her powers were flayed away by Kami's might.  She felt layer after layer of her mind peel away from her and shrivel in the searing wake of his power.  An unknown, unwanted companion conscience entered her being, and they clung to each other like orphaned newborns, she and this mysterious new dweller in her mind. Together, they eagerly threw themselves into the dark abyss that yawned behind them, anything to avoid the pain…

~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ Flashback ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~

The woman shot upright, panting weakly, her bangs slick against her sweating forehead.  Her eyes registered no change in the darkness as she scanned about her.

Her sudden movement caused a bolt of pain to flare from her head straight to her toes.  She collapsed onto her back; too weak to do anything other than draw in one breath at a time whilst squeezing her eyes shut against the pain.

"Stay still, miko.  Your body is drained."

A large…slightly furry?…hand swept cool water across her face.  She turned her face into the hand, happy that she was no longer alone.  She struggled to convey her feelings, but something blocked them.  She frowned in frustration as the block over her ability to communicate remained in place.  As the hand moved away, she turned her face to follow it, unconsciously nuzzling the limb.  When the hand stood still, she sighed contentedly, and drifted into an easy sleep.

Kouga blinked rapidly.  He had never allowed himself to caress someone's face, not even Kagome's.  He had never thought to touch her there, even when various encounters allowed him to carry her in his arms.  He was amazed at the soft flesh that filled his palm, but he could not dwell on the matter for long.  He gently extricated his hand from the sleeping miko's face, slinking back into the shadows to attend to other matters.


	16. Explanations 3

Wishing Well

Disclaimer:      I don't own Inuyasha.  Even my toenails are on loan.  Don't sue me.

Plead:             Review!  O^_^O

Legend:           "…"    =         speech

                      '…'     =         thought (usually)

                      ~~~     =         beginning/ending of flashback

Kouga closed the cave exit off with a large rock then hid the entrance with the surrounding foliage.  The cave had been an old storehouse for the wolf tribe, but it had long since been abandoned.  It started as a narrow hole between the roots of a huge overgrown tree stump, eventually opening up into a cozy, cool, and dry underground cavern.  The tree was within shouting distance of the meadow where his shrine stood, well within his spiritual boundaries.

'That should keep her safe for now,' he thought as he raced back to the shrine.  'My senses tell me I'm needed back at the shrine now, and I bet Kami-sama had something to do with that.'

Back at the shrine, Kouga flopped to the ground to await the deity's presence, idly scanning the surroundings.  He mused about his past, reflecting on different battles and celebrations.  As his thoughts drew closer to the present, he realized that Inuyasha had visited the shrine not once, not twice, but four times.  It had gotten to the point where Kouga actually **missed** the half-breed.

'What the hell?' he snarled as the thought crossed his mind.  'When did I become such a sap?  Where'd all these baka emotions come from?  I need to stop this, I'm a youkai prince!'

Try as he might, Kouga still could not forget the hanyou and his cohorts.  None of the others who had come to pay their respects were quite as interesting at the moment.

'The monk, he's…uhm…errr…kuso…Miroku!  I thought he was supposed to be a pure human, but he has youki.  I could have sworn his eyes were violet sometimes.  And I thought he was much older at first, but now I don't think any one of them is older than 20.  I wonder what happened to his hand…it's still covered by wrappings even though he should have lost the Kazaana when Naraku died.  Hrm.

Then there's Gohan.  I really don't know who the fuck he is, but he's the son of Son Goku, and from the rumors I picked up in the afterlife, he and his warriors…Z senshi I think that Jeice-guy said, are practically demi-gods.  The things I've heard…and the fact that King Enma made me a cross-dimensional conduit for Son Goku to talk to his son…  Gohan's family must be **really** influential!  He smells like a hanyou too.  Like the world needs more of them.

Inuyasha…hn.  Let's nip any thoughts about that baka in the bud.'

A breeze filled the area with the scent of summer, wiping away the smell of holy incense.  Kouga didn't need his acute senses to warn him that Kami had arrived.  He knelt low to the ground; head bent respectfully, his back to the shrine.

"Aa, Kouga, you can look up now."

Kouga, who thoroughly expected to be (literally) blown away by the beauty of Kami's holy face, was **very** disturbed by the sight of a wrinkled green humanoid with blunt fangs and antennae.  The figure supported itself on a tall staff, and looked rather frail for the Protector of the World position.

"Kami-sama?" the wolf youkai asked timidly.

"Hmm?  Oh, my appearance?  Don't let it fool you, this body still has a couple of kicks left in it."

The youkai blushed slightly as he heard his secret thoughts answered.  Kami chuckled inwardly for a few moments at the pup's embarrassment, and then continued.

"I called you here because my advisors thought I should give you some more details concerning your current charge.  Sit up, young one, you should be comfortable, for this is a relatively long tale."

"Thank you, Your Holiness."

While the wolf prince got comfortable, Kami took the time to review Kikyou's life.  He fondly remembered the day he first talked to her through her dreams.  She was a beautiful, pure-minded young child then, a child who instinctively knew that she was different from her peers.  It was the start of a lonely existence for her as she trained her miko skills for her ultimate task.  It had hurt Kami's heart to see her in so much pain years later, and he had planned for her to have a peaceful rest in the afterlife.  However, someone had interfered in that plan by carefully and secretively altering the strings of Choice and Fate, bringing her back to life and blocking her from Kami's voice.  It didn't help that he had been more focused on the alternate dimension that held the Z-senshi when the crime had taken place.  A certain taciturn Namek was projecting him into a large time-space paradox created by the Great Kai, which allowed him to work feverishly in order to set things right and catch the evildoer who had started the mess.  He shook his head ruefully as he recounted Piccolo's reaction to this news.

~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ Flashback ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~

"Trust you to get it all screwed up.  Hurry up and finish fixing whatever shit you muddled up, I'm sure Dende can hold down the fort better than you could have."

"I wasn't asking for permission, Piccolo."

"I couldn't care less what you were trying to do by telling me about your mistake, just hurry up and fix it."

"Oh my, could it be that my grumpy evil alter-ego will possibly **miss** me while I'm gone?"

"Hell no.  Shit, it's bad enough that Nail's in my head, but at least he could kick an apple without slipping a disk."

"I'll take that as a compliment, but don't drag me into this quarrel!" piped an overly cheerful voice.

"Good, shut it.  I just need your ki, you shriveled old cucumber, so hurry up and bring it back.  Besides, I got a bad feeling about this whole mess, especially since you've got to fix some crap in the same dimension that Gohan disappeared to."

"As you wish, Piccolo.  Now, this is what I need you to do…"

~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ Flashback ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~

However, the projection took a great deal of energy, and Piccolo was waning fast.  Furthermore, Dende was calling him constantly, saying that he needed to talk to the former Guardian **very **urgently.  He needed someone in this dimension to take the place of Kikyou's mentor while he went back for a short period.

Sensing that Kouga was ready and impatiently waiting, he turned back to the expectant youkai.

"This miko's story really begins about 52 years ago.  Then, she was the protector of the Shikon no Tama.  Her name was…"

"Kikyou?!  This is the same miko that sealed Inuyasha, the same woman that he was two-timing Kagome with?!" Kouga blurted out, shocked by that simple fact.

"Yes, the very same.  I know that you may not have had a good look at her during the years leading up to Naraku's defeat, but as you can clearly see now, Kagome bears a striking similarity to her.  This is because Kagome is, supposedly, the direct reincarnation of this miko.  However, someone or something broke the natural laws and brought her back to life…more like reanimated her body.  The entity didn't do it directly, of course, it used a youkai to do that.  Anyhow, that simple act is what pushed Naraku's defeat back by at least a year.

Shortly before her death, she fell in love with the hanyou, or rather, his apparently carefree life.  She had grown weary of looking after the jewel, and she longed to be free of her burden and do anything that she wished.  Inuyasha adored her as the first human to show him some form of kindness since his mother's death, even though she was badgering him to become something other than what he is.  They thought that they could be happy if only they could get rid of her burden and his heritage."

Kouga nodded absent-mindedly as his thoughts began to whirl. 

'No wonder Inuyasha couldn't decide between her and Kagome.  How do you choose between the original person, who was the first to show you any affection, and her reincarnation, who loves you yet leaves you alone every few days?'

Kami continued.

"Naraku used their relationship to get the Shikon no Tama, then tried to fill their hearts with hatred in an attempt to corrupt the power within the gem and kill his closest rivals.  Unfortunately, Kikyou succumbed to the trick.  Our only fortune is that she had the presence of mind to burn the jewel with her body.  That is one of the factors that allowed this era to enjoy 50 years of peace.

At any rate, when the entity brought her back to life, it made sure that Kagome would be able to reclaim most of her soul, leaving only that bitter hatred, which it amplified with its own loathing.  Kikyou was glad to be alive, doing whatever she wanted, whenever she wanted to.  That's when she broke the rules.  She continued to feed off of the hatred, stealing souls, consorting with youkai, helping the enemy, confusing allies, and generally making herself the entity's willing tool.

Fortunately, the entity could not flush out all of Kikyou's former affections for Inuyasha, which meant that she tended to help Inuyasha, to the entity's annoyance.  When Inuyasha and his pack killed Naraku, the entity left her, draining most of the hatred out.  She then gave up as she became more aware of the severity of her actions and the aberrance of her existence.  Her soul is now where it should be.  However, I have done some investigation into the activities of this entity, and I have found that she was not his only victim.  It tried to use you too."

"Nani!?!?" the wolf youkai croaked, confused beyond belief.  "What the hell would it want me for?"

The former Guardian smirked.

"You are one of the few people to constantly battle Inuyasha and survive.  For some reason, the entity needs someone who is capable of hating and killing Inuyasha.  Did you think that it was mere coincidence that those boars infected you and no one else in the pack?  Didn't you find it strange that your usually reliable sense of danger didn't warn you that that particular prey was extremely dangerous?"

The wolf was shocked.  Now that he had (ample) time to think about the circumstances surrounding his infection and eventual death, he realized that his sixth sense had **always** warned him away from contagiously sick prey, yet it didn't even tingle during that hunt, not even when all of his other senses told him the boars were mad.

"That makes no sense!  Me?  I mean there're two entire **species** against Inuyasha because he's a hanyou.  Why use me?  This _entity _or whatever it is could've chosen a **much **stronger agent.  Why not his half-brother, he's more powerful than I am, he'd have been perfect!"

Kami turned around and smiled at the young princeling.

"Yes, he is, but he was an obvious target.  I had planted a little protective element with him to prevent any tampering."

"Protective element?"

"A human girl.  Suffice it to say that Sesshoumaru was unassailable, forcing the entity to go after you, the only unguarded person strong enough to threaten Inuyasha, yet weak enough to be destroyed when the entity was finished.  You took the entity by surprise when you not only resisted your dislike of the hanyou, but also used him to kill yourself.  While noble, it was an unnecessary sacrifice that could have been avoided if I had been here.  I hope you can forgive me for not protecting you.  You would be alive now if I had not been so worried about another dimension."

'What do you say when a god apologizes to you?' Kouga wondered, trying to find a suitable way to respond.  The deity didn't give him a chance to answer as he went on with his tale.

"I had a number of safeguards planned based on the possibility of Naraku's existence, safeguarding almost all of the youkai royal family, however, I made no account for you, an unplanned inheritor to a forgotten title.  That was my mistake, and I intend to correct it, before this entity can gain another foothold in the Wolf Clan.  However, I have been hard-pressed to find a suitable guardian for you.  Until now."

Kouga's sixth sense flared up violently, almost visibly shaking the youkai in warning.  He just **knew **that he wouldn't like Kami's next words.

"Do you remember the wind-user Kagura?"


	17. Tribulations

Wishing Well

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or Dragon Ball Z, buy I have earned enough money to finally by my very own pair of pants. Don't sue me.

Disclaimer: I work and study so I really don't have time to write. Don't hurt me.

Legend: "…" = speech

'…' = thought (usually)

= beginning/ending of flashback

This Sesshoumaru was not pleased.

He had spent years, decades, in the growth of his lands, moving ever eastward in his expansion. The Wolf Kingdoms were sizeable tracts of what could be called prime real estate, and this Sesshoumaru had sent trusted agents to conquer those pristine hunting grounds long ago…agents who would have to produce a magnificent reason why Tokujin should not gorge its mad blade upon their souls to punish them for this blatant failure. Especially when such agents were blood relations. Such close relations that they could be considered…

"Watashi no shounin," Sesshoumaru declared coldly as two shadowy figures strode into the moonless gloom of the forest glade chosen for this confrontation. Not that this Sesshoumaru needed light to identify the beings walking towards. Oh no, these beings he knew with every fiber of his being. His burning gold eyes were the only clue that he was aware of their presence as the silhouettes stopped next to him, and then turned to kneel before the inutaiyoukai. The dark, reflective eyes of the beings winked out as they turned their heads to the sky and bared their vulnerable necks in complete submission to the one they called…

"Otou-sama."

Sesshoumaru coolly laid Tokujin's blade along their throats, his profile lean and strong as he too raised his head to stare into the dark, starless sky. He ground his teeth very slightly as he spoke.

"Would one of my sons like to explain to me, before they die, why they have failed?"

Sesshoumaru turned his molten gold glare to scald his pups as he named them.

"Haggaku… Ginta…"

Inuyasha was not pleased.

After Kagome and Bulma had left, and the consumption of food had gone from gobbling to nibbling, the picnic had wound down as the sun began to set. Despite the ladies' eagerness to display their skills, it was decided to hold the impromptu tourney another day. Actually, any day after Bulma returned with the results on the rabies tests. Gohan, Miroku, and Krillin helping Sango, Videl, and Chi Chi tidy up the area. Eighteen had flown back to Chi Chi's house with a sleeping Marron in her arms, saying that she would be back after tucking the chibi in for her nap. Piccolo had just disappeared, muttering to himself about business to take care of. Some distance away, the other males and children basked in the sun until Shippou and Trunks started bickering about whose mother was better than the other's.

Again.

"My mom is smarter than yours any day!" Trunks yelled furiously, nose-to-nose with the kit youkai.

"Oh yeah? Well I bet your kaa-san can't shoot straight through a youkai and make it disappear!" Shippou countered heatedly, his tail and hair bristling about him.

Goten and Goku sat under a shady tree, watching nervously as tempers flared, knowing that if two certain individuals joined the bickering, a free-for-all would ensue. While the Son men normally enjoyed a vigorous brawl before and after a good meal, the fighting wouldn't be fun with Goku being forced to pull Inuyasha and Vegeta apart…again. As it was, the two ouji sat down in the sun, facing each other in a silent duel of wits…and good ol' fashioned Don't-Blink-First.

In reality, Vegeta was closely regarding Inuyasha's features. The long white hair, with the two dog ears prominently displayed, had struck some long-buried memory in Vegeta's head, but it was the impassive face in front of him that now made the Saiyan no Ouji ponder an impossibility from his long hidden, shadowy youth.

Inuyasha was not pleased because he was likewise perplexed. He had felt a small stirring deep in the abyss of memories that he had long ago forgotten, all from the sight of Gohan's tail, and now, as he regarded Vegeta's impassive face, the memories were slowly awakening in his head. He was locked in a silent mental battle to resurrect the dusty old rememberances, and he loathed mental battles in any form.

Both males had their thoughts broken as the squabble turned into a mini wrestling match, with Trunks trying valiantly to pin Shippou, while the kit growled, yipped, and scratched. Both children tumbled on the ground, now one at the bottom, now the other, as the squabble began to turn into a real fight, with Trunks landing solid punches in Shippou's side and the kit searing Trunks' exposed skin with kitsune-bi.

Before any of the adults could break up the tussle, Goten stomped over to both of them, pulled Trunks off of Shippou...

...And punched both of them in the nose.

"You're both wrong!" he yelled in an exasperated voice at the two ill-tempered brats.

"Nan da?" Trunks grumbled as he turned his peevish mood on Goten. Shippou was too busy trying to look down his snout to see if it was as flat as it felt.

"Watashi no kaasan wa sekaiichi desu! Son Chi Chi is #1!" the demi-Saiyan proudly proclaimed, posing in a manner fit to rival the Great Saiyaman.

Large sweatdrops broke out on the adultsa heads, and Goku soon adopted his trademark grin, while Inuyasha and Vegeta sat with their faces twitching.

Silence reigned for quite sometime. High above, a lone eagle screeched once.

"BAKA!"

Shippou and Trunks launched themselves onto Goten simultaneously. Inuyasha, Vegeta, and Goku blinked rapidly as fur and fists began to fly.

"Oi, pansy ass, get your _gaki_ off Shippou!" Inuyasha growled bitterly at Vegeta, his teeth grinding slightly as he made sure to get into the other ouji's face.

"Well he's right, my woman is better than yours anyday," Vegeta ground out, his perma-frown deepening a few notches.

"Look you mangy badly-bred orangutan," Inuyasha began, as Goku pointedly stepped in between the two princes. Again.

"Now be reasonable you two…" Goku began only to be cut short by the other two warriors.

"Oh shut it, you know your wife isn't better than mine!" Inuyasha and Vegeta roared at the same time, never taking their eyes off of each other.

Whoever told them to say that truly did not have the word peace in mind. Soon, there were two brawls raging, that quickly merged into one free-for-all. Fur, fists, and feet were flying all over the place by the time the others returned, and only one person dared to enter the fray.

**CLANG!** "Kagome-kaasan!"

**CLANG!** "G'DAMMIT! Watch where you're swinging!"

**CLANG!** "Honey, no, not…"

"Oh shit..." **CLANG!**

"Mama!!" **CLANG!**

"Goten, stop her!" **CLANG!**

Silence reigned for quite sometime. High above, a lone eagle screeched once.

Kouga was not pleased.

As a rule, wolves and other canines did not like to be surprised, and Kami had just dropped a surprise the size of Mount Fuji on him; an unpleasant surprise at that. Worst of all, Kami knew what reaction to expect, judging from the nervous, wary stance he'd taken as Kouga felt the frown on his face come down low enough to obscure his canine eyesight. As it was, the deceased youkai had to chew his tongue numerous times before he could form any words that could voice his thoughts.

"Kami-sama, may I be allowed to summarize all that you have just told me?"

Kami nodded slowly, unsure of where this reiteration would lead.

Kouga took a deep breath to steady himself, then began.

"Kikyou and Kagura were once one person…one entity so to speak. You started training this entity, and taught it to suppress and ignore her bad feelings. Ultimately, she forced them out altogether, leaving the miko entity, Kikyou. The bad side, abandoned and unacknowledged, was found by Naraku, who forced it into a body, creating the youkai entity, Kagura. The same filth-sucking, cockblowing, pissant, Naraku spawn that, incidently, sent my entire tribe into the afterlife ahead of me.

Now that Naraku is dead, the miko entity and the youkai entity have also ceased living. However, for reasons that I'm sure are holier than me, you've decided to cram Kikyou and Kagura back into their original union, and I have to raise this, for lack of a better word, re-entity, in order to determine my place in the afterlife. Does this sum it up?"

Kami pondered the wolf's words, and deemed them to be accurate. He always knew that Kouga's mind was sharp, just like Inuyasha's, but both hardheaded males had an aversion to using their brilliant minds. At any rate, it seemed that Kouga fully grasped the situation.

"You are perfectly correct on all counts," the former world protector declared, his eyes closed and a small smile of paternal-like pride on his face. That could be the reason why he never predicted the wolf youkai's next move. At least, it's the reason he gave Piccolo hours later.

Kouga saw the nod, and his mind blanked red in rage. His body swelled into enormity as fur covered his elongating face. His growl ripped into a roar as his mouth filled with dagger-like fangs. His eyes were covered by a red haze, and for some time, he knew no more.

When he came back to himself, he was lying naked in a stinking pool of blood and mud and some unidentifiable mass of flesh and fur. His long black hair lay in lank greasy strings on his cheeks and back. On his narrow, athletic hips, two sets of violent blue stripes slowly faded to a dull grey color. His mouth stank of rotting meat, and his tawny skin was singed in multiple places.

To put it mildly, he looked like a wreck.

As sore muscles unknit themselves, he scanned the surroundings with blurry eyes. His vision was annoyingly hazy, but the green blur near the shrine was arresting to say the least.

It was even more arresting when a lightning bolt jumped from it into his face.

Kouga swore proficiently as he narrowly avoided the deadly arc of electricity, and noticed two points of interest at the same time.

Firstly, the green figure was shaping itself into an immense, shining, wrathful image of Kami, easily twice the height of his youkai stance, much younger and less forgiving in stance and nature.

Secondly, the lightning bolt had actually been headed for his genitals

Kouga noted with annoyance that death still couldn't stop ingrained instincts, such as cupping oneself when threatened in particular places. In that highly embarrassing position, Kami began to berate him in the true, holier-than-thou manner that made all creatures on earth quake.

"You imbecile! You dolt! You ill-bred, unlearned, milksoppish, mothercoddling whelp! How **dare** you?! Do you **truly** believe yourself so immune to the fates that you can take your wrath out on **Kami**! Be glad I love you so much that I won't send your wormy soul to the depths of hell now, to dwell lower than even **Naraku for such insubordinace!**"

Suitably chagrined, Kouga bent low, his head to the ruptured ground, then, in frank desperation, rolled onto his back, baring all his vital points in submission. His speech descended to the yelps and whines of a newly born wolf cub, and he was nigh insensible.

But he was in luck. Kami was, and still is, a merciful protector. Also, his energy source, Piccolo, was being drained too quickly with the display of power needed to stop Kouga's raving and put the wolf in his place. Slowly, ever slowly, the former protector of Earth reduced his size and appearance to normal, then hobbled over to Kouga. He used his staff to bid the wolf to rise, which the youkai did immediately, but only to his knees.

"I will forgive. But know this well: the scales are not in your favor."

Kouga, trembling, neither said nor did anything. The fear of dwelling on a level of hell lower than Naraku was too strong upon him.

Kami sighed quietly. He loved all the beings on Earth and hated to use such tactics, but when souls and universes needed saving, harsh measures needed to be taken. Ignoring the mud, stench, and general condition that Kouga was kneeling in, Kami stroked his hair benevolently, and smiled as he spoke.

"I trust you, Kouga, Ookami no Ouji, Wind-runner. You have battled long and you are strong, so I trust you to conquer this deed, your worst battle to date."

Kouga was close to tears. Kami's touch conveyed all the painful memories of his past, as well as the mistake he'd just made, and the punishment Kami had to mete out to stop Kouga from destroying all in his path. He marvelled at the strength that Kami possessed to increase his body size to rapidly, and deal out lightning with such deadly accuracy. Everything that had died had been killed by Kouga's jaws and paws as he marauded around the area, but never once did he touch Kami, and often Kami's mere spirit repelled his insane attacks. And yet this old, powerful creature, who knew the sins of his past, still believed in him. It touched the wolf profoundly, and renewed his spirits.

Kami gently lay a kiss on Kouga's soiled head as he stepped back.

"I must return, but I will try to guide you as often as I can. In times of need, do not fear to call on me."

So saying, Kami began to fade away, still smiling gently at the contrite figure of the wolf prince. Kouga stayed in the same kneeling position until Kami was no longer visible, and his presence had disappeared from the shrine.

With tears in his eyes, Kouga stood up, shoulders back, a prince once more. Determination lit his eyes as he strode back to his challenge, confident once more. Neither Kagura nor Kikyou had ever bested him before. He had trounced Nii and Souran when he won the leadership of the clan. He'd lived through the battle with Naraku. He would not lose now.

Please note:

Rabies cannot be identified by a blood test in real life. It usually requires an examination of the infected brain after death to give a conclusive vote of the presence of rabies. For the sake of this story, I've thrown all that science out the window, so to speak.

"Watashi no kaasan wa sekaiichi desu!" - hopefully it translates to "My mother is number one in the world!" If not, I paid too much for my Japanese books OTTO

Oh, and my laptop hard drive died on me, thereby causing me to lose multiple chapters, so expect to see many changes. OO'


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